Changes
by Corinder
Summary: After a few years of peace and Elena is made alpha, things start to get a bit strange for the pack, as someone returns and an disease hits every bitten werewolf in the US. OC/Anne Includes bonus chapter- honeymoon.
1. Honeymoon

Next story! Starting off with a bonus chapter. :B

I may or may not throw Nick's POV in after this... it just amused me to try it for this chapter.

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><p>"That's it. Honeymoon." Clayton threw something against a wall, a tea towel, raising his hands in defeat as Nick growled against the back of my neck.<p>

We had been doing the dishes, the dishwasher had broken down, and I'd been trying to wash. Trying. Nick kept rubbing up behind me, apparently to help, but he kept 'accidentally' dribbling water down my chest. Making it cling. His hips grinding against mine with soft growls as he did pathetic jobs at scrubbing dishes. Not surprising- I was in his way.

Poor Clayton, who was rinsing and drying the dishes, was getting an eyeful he didn't want to get, getting dishes that weren't completely clean, handing them back and extending his torment. Elena had been sitting at the table with Dominic in her lap, watching us, trying to not laugh as Clayton's veins on his neck started to bulge out.

We, out of all the couples, were the most public with our affection. I'd realised this months ago at the triplet's first Christmas but pushing Nick away just made him try harder. He _enjoyed_ it when I pushed him away. _Enjoyed_ it when I ignored him. _Enjoyed_ it when I responded. Realistically, it was made worse by the fact that our sex life was all based on the 'creative' moments now. The triplets were two years old in a month and that naturally meant chaos. They were all walking.

Nick was yanked away from me by Clayton's hand, pushed into a chair, Clayton pinning him there by lowering Lily and Susie onto each of his knees, forcing him to stay put. Then he returned and we tried to finish.

"You two need a honeymoon." Clayton glanced at me. I flushed and he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah." I agreed, but glanced back at the toddlers. Honeymoons were for married couples with no kids.

"You two need a honeymoon. If I see him groping you again in here, I'm going to get you thrown out of a helicopter myself." Clayton growled as he heard Nick stand, shooting him a look, and Nick flopped back down. Crossed his arms. The two girls, now on the ground, were already heading for the living room. Seeking Jeremy probably. "You're going as fast as we can shove you on a plane."

"Ana's coming though."

"In three weeks. You don't need to be here to get her room ready." Elena spoke up. She lowered the little boy to the ground as he reached for it, Dominic following his sisters. She added, her voice taking on that edge that she got as 'alpha', something that I wished I could say was new since Jeremy had stepped down. But it wasn't. She'd been using that voice on us for months. "It's discussed and agreed on by all of us. You're going. I'll call Jeremy and see if we can take up Jamie's offer about the island."

"But-"

"We'll care for the triplets. Anything to get you two some time to ...relax." Clayton muttered. "They'll be fine. We don't mind for a little while."

"You will."

"Already spoken to Antonio. You're going." He glanced at me now, challenging me to defy him, to go against what was clearly becoming an order. "He comes here, you leave in a few days, we all get some peace."

"Where?" Nick stood up again and didn't make the mistake of looking at Clayton. He headed straight back for me, wrapping his arms around my stomach, his chin on my shoulder. When he secured himself there, his eyes met Clayton's, a low growl as a challenge as Clayton narrowed his eyes at him again.

"Tropical island. Jamie's got a contact who offered her a few weeks alone on it. She'll let you two have that time." Elena replied as she took the tea towel from Clayton. "It's a bit humid and there might be a storm or two but it should be fine."

"I like tropical storms." I did. I hated humidity, I _really_ hated it, but the storms were fun. "But the humidity is awful. We could delay it... and humans. Humans on an island will make it hard to change."

"It has air conditioning and _no_ humans. You'll be fine."

Nick's hand slid up my top, stroking the wet skin, jumping when he heard a hiss from Clayton and something thrown at him. He clung to me as Clayton dragged him backwards, taking me with him, and we found ourselves in the study as Clayton called Jeremy himself.

That was how we found ourself four days later, thinking we were about to die, all memory of being jet lagged gone, sitting in a helicopter, crossing against the ocean in a humid climate with a storm rocking and shaking the helicopter. I couldn't deny that it was starting to scare me, the way it shook, the wind blowing against the tiny metal object hovering in the sky, Nick's face as white as mine. Our bags, for some reason, had been delivered already. We only had our backpacks. Under us the ocean was white tipped, spray thrown up high into the sky, the island seeming to be miles away.

The helicopter lurched, dropped, lurched, swung around, the island vanishing from the front for a moment. Nick's hand tightened harder on mine as he stared outside, fear from him filling my nostrils, driving my instincts nuts.

The pilots were speaking to each other about 'ditching'. Nick heard it, swore, sliding closer to me, his arm looping around mine.

"You two are going to have to jump."

"What!" Nick yelled over the sound of wind and the helicopter. "No fu-"

"We can't ditch in the ocean. If we do, the helicopter's rotors might break up, shards of metal flying everywhere. You two get out in the water and we'll try and … the weight difference might make it safer for us to get back! We'll drop the bags and you two jump into the water."

"Can't you drop us on land?"

"Not unless you want to break your legs!" The pilot replied, his face white, hands clutching the stick or whatever it was hard. "Water. Jump in, legs tight together, arms across chest, then when you get in and the water closes over your head, spread your legs wide to slow yourselves."

"The waves are huge though!" Nick's voice was panicked again, as he stared under us, his hand shaking. "They're-"

"Break legs or jump in water. The waves aren't as big as they look." The pilot called.

We decided to jump into water.

The helicopter hovered over the land, high up, as the bags were thrown out. It shook, sliding sideways at an angle, spinning again, and they struggled with it. Then we were back over the ocean, back over water, somewhere that looked deep enough...

"The building is along the beach." The pilot called, glancing back a moment, his face shiny with sweat. "You can walk there before the storm really hits. This is... " He paused as the helicopter lurched, nearly tipping us out then and there. "This is just the start. Hurry."

Nick froze as he stared at the ocean under him, face white with fear, and I suddenly wondered if he'd ever been in surf before. But before I could ask, the helicopter lurched again and he fell into the calmest part of the waves.

In other words, he fell into the rip. I jumped in after him when he started to panic in the water, the helicopter lifting and vanishing as it fled the storm, trying to grab for him.

"Calm down!"

I may as well have said 'start to panic'. That was exactly what he started to do, when he saw I was there too, started to scramble towards me. Nick grabbed me. We both sunk when he did, his eyes widening, no sense left there. I struggled in the water, rip grabbing at my legs as Nick's panicked grasp on my shoulders kept shoving me underwater, about as frantic and determined to stay above water as a giant dog. A giant six foot three dog. Maybe he'd come over hoping to save me but now...

The only thing I could do, besides trying to rip off his arms and waste precious seconds, was to try and swim for it. I could see the sand a few metres under my legs, as we were swept backwards and forwards, if I could just swim far enough for him to get a foot hold... just fast enough... ignore the waves, the incredible pull of the rip, the thunder and rain pelting on the surface, just get there.

Panic flooded me as my lungs started to scream, trying to peel him off even as my logical plan was in effect, trying to swim forward. We were barely moving, barely reaching it, and Nick's arms kept tightening around me as if he wasn't aware that it was my head he was hanging onto. I wanted to scream at him to stop drowning me and just body surf in. Who didn't know how to do that? Fuck. Fuck. Fu-

I couldn't stop it. My lungs screamed and I gulped water, swallowing the salty shit, struggling to throw Nick off now, his arms clamped around me as the huge waves crashed over the two of us. A second more and... but I couldn't let him drown either...

Pain rushed into my chest, I gasped with the sheer shock of it, which of course made more pain rush in. I was going to drown while the idiot above me panicked. It was surf, for crying out loud, no matter how much the sky thundered and the rip tugged hard, sand brushing under my feet and vanishing again, the salt water tearing through my chest and rushing into my body.

I sunk, I couldn't hold him up any more, my body struggling to keep it up, my mind trying to shut off. Nick vanished, either he'd been washed off or he'd let go, I wasn't sure. I tried to hang on to conciousness, force my lungs to keep waiting for air, gasping as a wave was sucked back and gave me a precious second above water. The world going into a strange tunnel vision, grasping for something further ahead, rocks maybe, not caring what it was as long as it could get me out of the water.

I was so close to the beach. So cl...

The waves ripped at me again, tugging at me, the rip catching at my legs and dragging me backwards, underwater, pulling at me. Rips weren't scary usually, I knew what to do, but I was drowning now, I needed air. My heart pounded as I struggled against it, fingers grabbing for rocks, trying to find a way up into the air.

I felt something grab at me from the rock I'd been trying to grab onto, skin slipping against mine, grip lost as the rip tugged me backwards. I heard my dad's voice echoed in my head. Stop panicking, I heard him tell me when I'd gotten into a rip with him as a nine year old kid, just calm down and let it take you. They only went as far as the back of the waves. Back then, he'd shown me how to swim in one, he'd taken me the right direction, swimming parallel in the direction of the rip to find the edge. He stayed there with me the entire time, telling me that it wouldn't pull me under, it would only take me out to the back of the waves, and from there I could surf back in. I wouldn't drown if I focused.

With his voice in my head, his calm face echoing in my memories, I stopped fighting the rip and found myself come to the surface, found myself able to gasp for lungfuls of hair between the huge wave, trying to keep my mind clear as my tunnel vision kept me focused on one thing only. The sky. I focused on the sky, focused on the thunder and lightning, on the rain, and every time the waves allowed me air, I gulped it in as deep as I could, arms pulling me through the water with the rip. Panic still made my heart pound but that eased when I saw Nick standing on a rock, pacing up and down against it, the same rock I'd tried to grab. I must have gotten him to a rock. He was safe and I could do this.

With him safe I could focus on swimming in the surf, trying to swim parallel in the direction of the rip, arms pounding through the waves and gasping in deep gasps of air as a wave came at me. Finally I found my legs let go of by the current, felt my body slow, and could turn around. It was some distance to the beach now, my chest hurt like hell, and when the rollers lifted me up, I saw Nick on the beach, trying to see me, trying to figure out where I was. He couldn't see me now- I'd been moved some fifty metres sideways by this current.

I just had to get back now. The waves were at least going in the right direction. Towards the beach. I turned, salt water burning my throat and eyes, and started to swim in the direction of the swells, ignoring the gale winds, the rain, the thunder, letting the waves push me forward as I body surfed in, let them pull me back a few feet, then push me forward. In, and out, in and out, steadily making progress as the waves pushed me along the sandy beach, trying to avoid rocks as much as I could, glad that I'd had my hair tied back on the helicopter. It would be hell right now, getting swished around by the waves, the sand and the water disorientating.

Sand on the bottom touched my feet and hands, white water around me, and knew I was getting close, scrambling against it, finding rocks under my hands and feet, using them to hold on as the waves were pulled backwards. A sudden pain in one hand made me yelp, pulling back, but the wave washed me against the rock and another scrape distracted me from it. A few more minutes and I could scramble onto the sand, gasping for air, my chest hurting with the effort of it, collapsing just a few metres up from the waves.

I made it. I didn't drown, no thanks to Nick, and I got back. Exhaustion made my limbs stop moving and my head flop onto one arm. Fuck.

I wondered how far I'd been carried away from him. Surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to go back into the water. Probably not.

Rain pelted down on my back, the thunder rumbling ahead, the gale starting to return into my senses. Whatever tunnel vision I'd had while caught in the rip and being half-drowned was gone now, and the sounds and screams of the storm returned with full force. I'd have to get up and find Nick and get into some kind of shelter. Find where the helicopters had dumped the bags. Instead I lay there, throwing up, salt water burning my throat as my stomach heaved it up again, trembling. I slept then, unable to move, just letting my body do what it had to.

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><p>Nick<p>

I groaned, dampness lapping at my bare feet, the taste and texture of sand against my head and in my mouth, aware of a pounding headache and the smell of blood in my nostrils. Something brushed against my head and then wandered away across the sand.

Last night had been one hell of a party. I must have drank too much. Or had Clayton hit me? Probably a little of both. My fault, I supposed, for springing that hooker onto him, but as his friend I was genuinely concerned. No thirty year old was supposed to be a virgin still. It wasn't _natural_.

His loss had been my gain though. Fuck, she'd been one hell of a woman, she knew her job well. The party had been incredible, even if Clayton had punched me and stormed out, the best party I'd thrown so far.

Wind was stinging me though with sand and I opened my eyes, cringing at the bright light, aware that I was now on a beach somewhere, my head cracked open, a palm tree lying right above my head. Ow. That might have explained how I'd hit it. Sleeping on a beach always seemed like a great idea ...till a palm tree fell on you.

I sat up slowly, the world swaying, gazing down at my hands and feet, seeing tiny cuts and dried blood. The crab that'd walked past my head was retreating into the gentle waves now but I could see dark clouds against the horizon. Coming or going?

From the strength of the wind I had to say it was coming.

A scent, both familiar and alien to me, was on me, on my hands, on my skin, under my clothing, and I lifted my hands to inhale it. A woman, not the stripper, but someone who smelt fucking incredible. Now why couldn't I remember her? Anyone with a smell like that should have stuck out. For the millionth time I swore I'd not drink so much this time.

I stumbled up, using the palm tree, the world swaying a little. I could smell the scent stronger as I stood, being blown at me through the wind, the woman still nearby. But there was blood too. That made something in me tense, an anxiety I couldn't quite place, and I was too sore to argue with it. Finding her might mean I'd find the house. Dad could come pick me up, I could barely stand straight, driving would be bad.

Making my way along the sand, I headed into the firmer wet sand, reaching up to touch my hair and the spot it'd been hit. The texture of my hair was more disturbing than the blood itself, dried out, filled with sand and crap. There was a cliff rising up out of the large bay, I scrambled up it, cringing as the exercise made the blood speed up in me. Ow.

I could smell her stronger the higher I got up, the bizarre 'wolf in heat' scent filling my nostrils, as if there was some invisible line set down under my feet towards where she was waiting. Waiting? I grinned. If she knew what I could do to her... she'd be waiting. But what was with her smell? It was almost like she was a werewolf, like me, which was naturally impossible. There was only mutts and the pack. If there was a chick we'd hear about it.

The jungle thickened for a few metres, suddenly separating as I almost fell down another small cliff, seeing a pale shape lying half in the waves down in a smaller cove, the smell coming directly from it. She wasn't moving. I wasn't even sure if she was breathing.

Oh shit.

I didn't wait or worry about sore feet, I jumped down the three metres, cringing as sand gave way under cut feet, scrambling across the wet sand as fast as my feet could catch me, that anxiety building into a higher pitch as she didn't move. Just lay there, water lapping around her face, not a twitch as it covered her mouth, her nose, or any sign she knew I was there when I dropped to my knees beside her to tug her onto her back out of the water. I couldn't smell any alcohol on her, that would have been obvious, no rank perfumes either, just the mind blowing scent of wolf mixed with the human.

Something else too, I thought, as I reached down to touch her open mouth, the lips parted, eyes shut. There was something about her that tore at me somehow. I bent down to check that she was breathing, found that she was, pressing a hand to her neck to feel for a pulse. This close I couldn't pretend that it was 'just a smell'. The werewolf scent drugged my head, tore into me, went down into my hips, begging me to …

I wasn't that kind of guy. I didn't care how hot a woman was. I didn't do them while they were unconscious.

She was alive. Half drowned, maybe, but alive. I lifted her up carefully, surprised by how easy it was to do so, her sharp inhale showing that at least on some level she was concious.

I expected her to stiffen, to fight me off, to wake up even, as any mutt would do with a strange werewolf. Instead, she sighed, relaxed, even snuggled against me a little, as if what she smelt she liked. A grin as I adjusted her, her forehead against my neck, she'd be easily warmed up to me when she woke up. But shit. A female werewolf? I'd have to call Dad the second … no, I'd call Jeremy. And Dad.

"Nick." She murmured, asleep still, lips tracing along the sensitive part of my jaw as if she knew exactly where it was by smell. That made me snap out of it a little bit. Cute or not, she was still a dangerous werewolf, and an unknown mutt who apparently knew my name.

What to do with her though? I made my way up, spotting a bag dangling from a tree, deciding that it clearly was abandoned. There was a cave too on the edge of the tiny cove. Okay. She could go in the cave, I could see what was in the bag, maybe tie her up. I lowered her, tensing again as she stiffened, some part of me resisting putting her down on the cold ground. Instead I just shifted her into one arm, her legs dangling, balancing her carefully as I tugged the bag down, and threw it over one shoulder so I could grab her with two arms again.

I had her quickly on the ground, rummaging in the bag, finding a knife and rope in the bag, along with some other 'survival stuff'. Great. What was going on? Had Clayton dumped me out here? I wouldn't put it past him. But with a female werewolf? He wouldn't have left her alone with me, he'd have dragged her back to Jeremy and the cage the second he spotted her, an oddity that wouldn't be left alone. Mutts would chase her down all over the place with a smell like that. I turned her gently onto her back, careful to turn her head so she could breathe, and inhaled sharply as I caught sight of what was all over the girl's back. The top had a low back, her damp hair falling out of my way with a careful brush, finding fucking awful scars along her back and right up her neck. I lifted the top at the waist, slowly, careful to not wake her, tracing them as they went right down, down into the damp jeans. Some kind of sex fiend? She didn't seem the kind and they didn't look like part of some kinky game. They looked serious.

A kind of rage rose in me as I pictured what they'd have been like when they'd been fresh, open, probably very deep, picturing her lying there with her back cut open... and then, suddenly, an image I couldn't explain. One of her lying there naked, her back completely untouched, my sheets curled across her bare legs, asleep in my bed in New York, as if I was watching her sleep.

Fuck. It made no sense. I grasped her arms, gently pulling them behind her back, the urge to just leave her alone fighting with the need to protect myself from her. I wanted to just leave her there, give her a pillow out of my lap, wait for her to wake naturally. But it wasn't wise to do that. When they were secure, I slid my hand into one of her pockets, trying to pretend I couldn't feel the smooth skin under there, the bone, or the way it made me want to keep feeling, trying to find a wallet or an ID.

I found rings hidden away in the coin part of her pocket. I slid backwards, staring at the rings and then at her, diamonds glinting at me in the dim light on one ring and the other a simple gold band. She was married? I sat there dumbly, staring at her, struggling with instincts I didn't get. Usually with a woman I'd back right off there and this one...It didn't work. I didn't want to back off.

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><p>Anne<p>

When I woke it was morning, the storm was over, and my arms wouldn't move. Bright sunlight blinded me as my eyes flew open, aware that I was no longer on the beach but now instead in a little cave, the familiar smell of Nick nearby, my arms bound back behind my back.

Panic suddenly flooded me at that realisation, blind unreasonable panic, adrenaline flooding through me. Arms tied back. I struggled against them, struggled, trying to tear them or tear my arms free, skin already shiny with sweat. I wasn't on a honeymoon with Nick anymore, I was tied up, back with that alpha, my body threatening to change to deal with the threat if he didn't …

"Get them off me!" I gasped as I heard Nick's sharp intake, heard him step closer.

"Shhh, it's alright. Calm down."

"Don't you fucking give me calm down, this isn't funny. Get them off me before I chang-" I groaned, pain shooting through my skin, my skin prickling. Nick knew I couldn't be tied up. He knew that it always triggered this fear, always had, maybe always would.

"Calm down. Shit, you really are one, aren't you?" That confused the hell out of me, Nick's statement there, and I finally found him in the dim light, his eyes wide, pressed back against the cave. Dried blood was down the side of his face, scaring me further, I inhaled the smell of blood the panic increased. He was hurt. "You need to stop. It's okay. I won't hurt you."

"You are hurting me, Nick..." I cried out, body starting to contort, my cries of pain echoing through the cave and far down it, limbs starting to change. It was starting and I couldn't stop it. What happened to a wolf who's front legs were bound behind it's back like this? "Get them off me!"

He seemed to think the same thing, leaping over, the flash of something silver in his hand as he cut it free, trying to help free me of the clothing as my body contorted and changed, pain ripping through me. No one but Nick would see me like this, and even then I didn't like it much, but it was better than to be half trapped in clothing as a wolf. My eyes caught his, his pale face, the whites of his eyes showing in his fear, and he backed off when he'd loosened everything, the knife still in his hand.

When it was over, the ropes laying limp across my back, I lay there panting, not at all amused at this joke, still half-covered in clothing. Pain rocked through my body still, probably from the hurried swim earlier, my head, shoulders and paws hurting.

One leg moved, then the other, I crawled onto my legs, rolling onto my stomach and check the underside of my paw. Licking it, I found blood, though it wasn't quite like it would be as a human. I shook my sore head, chest aching, exhaustion still flooding through my body even as the wolf. Outside my senses told me the storm was over. Nick was outside now.

Outside?

I stood up slowly, body trembling, shaking my head and pawing at the hard ground in an attempt to see where he'd gone. His trail had gone outside, I followed it, sniffing and pawing at the soft dirt and sand outside. We were on the edge of a little cove. It was small, low compared to the land that curved around each side, rocks making cliffs, no crashing waves but the early morning light as the sun peaked over the horizon. Last night it'd probably been crazy. A tree had fallen over, roots keeping it connected to the soil, the palm leaves waving in the gentle waves as it was pushed backwards and forwards. The wind still was there, it blew hard against my coat, sending Nick's scent straight to me.

I padded through the jungle, panting, thirsty and hot, following Nick. I wasn't sure why he'd run away like that when I'd changed but I had to make sure he was okay now. Paws scrambled up the side of the cove, up the sand, onto the solid ground where roots and dirt held the sand steady.

The wind buffed against me as I inhaled, ears wriggling, circling around in an attempt to smell where Nick had vanished to. He was some distance away along the beach, a tiny dark dot on the edge of the water, still staring into the water, standing there. Or was it Nick? Maybe it was a rock.

I trotted through the undergrowth, head lifting up as I smelt something familiar, eyes finding a bag dangling from a tree. Two bags. That smell was our smell on them. I ignored them for now and continued to where the potential Nick was. Freezing, my nostrils flared, inhaling Nick's scent from the beach, the smell of his blood cutting into it. Fuck. As a wolf that smell was twice as bad.

Suddenly I ran, ran for the body there, skidding to a halt beside him and trying to see the wound in his hair.

Nick's nostrils flared and he spun around, arms warding me back, scrambling backwards as if I'd snuck up and falling on his ass in the sand. Stared at me in shock, at the sand, at the beach, panic flooding his body, and when I stepped closer, he scrambled backwards. He was afraid of _me_.

I whined, sliding onto my stomach, pulling forward, head tilted in confusion. He hurriedly got back to his feet, backing up faster, nostrils flaring again and again as he stared at me.

"Fuck, don't sneak up like that. You've gotta stay human." He swore, grabbing for a branch, waving at me. "Are you a new mutt?"

Mutt?

That hurt. I cringed, tail going down, as his eyes showed too much white at the sight of me. He was really afraid of me. What was wrong with him? He swung the branch at me when I came too close, his heart racing, and he was serious about it too, because the branch hit me hard in my side and sent me rolling. Was he trying to play a joke on me? I wouldn't put it past him even if it was bad timing.

This was not going to work this way. I backed up, turning on him, speeding for the beach where the little cave was. I'd have to change back.

I changed, trying to urge it to hurry, which my body naturally ignored. It took some time to manage to complete it, the more I urged it the slower it took, the agony of last night's 'swim' not assisting my body in shifting back to human from wolf. When I shifted back I looked like hell, hands raw, hair full of sand, bruises on my arms and legs, head and neck sore from Nick's arms grabbing onto me. Before I dressed I dunked my hair in the ocean to try and get it free of the sand, stepping into the calm water, trying to clean my skin and body of the shit from last night, aware halfway in that I was being watched. I ignored him. If he was playing some kind of game with me then it wasn't funny.

Nick's smell and feet drifted to me from above the little cove, as he made his way through the bush, keeping a safe distance above me. His knees cracked as he knelt down on the cliff, just a few metres away, eyes glued onto me.

Still ignoring him, I dunked my hair back under the water, kneeling there to wash it clear of the sand and to was dried blood off my hands. Just a few cuts. Nothing to get excited about. Nick's head worried me more.

"Are you going to get in and let me see your head now?" I called as he stayed put, his breathing hard, hearing him jump.

"Who the hell are you?"

I stared at him then, turning to look at him, seeing real genuine shock there. He seriously didn't know who I was. Fuck. I suddenly understood how Nick had felt when I'd forgotten _him_. I suddenly didn't know what to say. Girlfriend? Wife? Mother of his kids? "How's your head?" I ignored the question and stood up, cheeks flushing as his eyes roamed over my naked body, feeling that odd sense of shyness there drift up. He really did look shocked, sliding closer on the edge of the water, like he was starting to doubt his own sanity. "You better wash it. It's okay, I won't bite."

"Huh?" Nick blinked, tearing his eyes off my body and back to my head, shaking his head as if he was groggy. "Maybe I did drink too much last night. I swear..." He shook his head again, rubbing it, cringing as his fingers found the cut.

"I said wash that cut on your head." I replied, backing out of the water, cheeks reddening. He'd seen me a million times now but somehow his expression and comment not helping me try and stay calm and rational. I headed for the little cave.

"What's your name?"

"Liz."

"Did you just-" Nick hesitated, standing, glancing at me. He couldn't smell me from that direction and I felt him circle me, slowly, trying to relax as I smelt him. As he circled he tried to keep a conversation going. "So where are we?"

"The tropics." I dressed hurriedly, leaving the rings in my pocket, scrapping the bra for speed. "Apparently we're staying on this island. We've got to figure out where."

"_We're_ staying here?" He was really confused now, moving into the entrance of the cave, struggling to smell me. When he got in far enough the smell hit him hard, it was already filling the cave, making Nick stumble back. "Where's Clayton? Big grouchy guy, head full of blonde curls, you can't miss him."

"Do you know what you are?" I was careful, trying to not scare him, but he seemed already freaked enough.

"Of course I do. Is this Clay's idea of a joke? What, did he pay a stripper to run around naked, rub some ...scent... on you, and confuse me with a giant dog? This because I gave him a hooker for his birthday?" He glanced from side to side as if he was expecting Clayton to come out and go 'I got you!'. Nick didn't seem to believe it, but he seemed desperate, fishing for an explanation that made sense.

"A ..._stripper_?" I growled before I could stop myself. That was not funny.

"Sorry. Prostitute. Hooker. Escort. Um. Whatever it is you go by. That's it, isn't it? You got paid to play a joke on me. You can tell me. I'll pay you double what he paid." He relaxed, liking this idea, laughing a little. "So where is he?"

Screw head injuries. I hit him hard, slapping him, hoping that it might smack his memories back into place. Nick was not expecting it and he was not expecting me to have that strength he had, it knocked him clean off his feet and onto the ground again, making him yelp. "Hey!"

Breathe, I tried to remind myself, breathe. Don't beat him up. You're married to him.

"I'm not a hooker, prostitute, escort, or anything else that exchanges sex for money. Might be an idea to not suggest that again. What do you remember?"

"Clayton getting a hooker for his birthday, Clayton vanishing, a party, drunk, some hot chicks, but not you." He rubbed the side of his face as he gazed up at me, eyes going back up and down my body, sniffing his hand as he touched the spot my skin had made contact with his. "I'd have remembered _you_."

"Yet you don't." I muttered. Crossed my arms. I was being probably too angry with him, maybe, but he'd nearly drowned me last night and now he was calling me a prostitute.

"Did we hook up?"

The urge to drag rings out and show him reared but I shoved it down. "Last night, no."

He looked disappointed at that.

"How old is Clayton?" I asked, slowly, as he rubbed his head.

"Thirty and flirty. No, forget the flirty part, he was not keen on that part at all. His loss and my gain." He grinned, or tried to, winking slightly. "But how th... who are you?"

"Thirty?" Pre-Elena, in other words, Nick had no clue what to make of me. I ignored his suggestion, turning my back on him, rubbing my head. This was not a good day. "I told you. I'm Liz. You've hit your head and I need some water. Apparently we're supposed to find a villa on the edge of the beach, and we both need water, so … questions later, please." My head ached.

Nick stood up behind me ,rubbing his bum to get rid of the sand, and I heard him ask, "I know I've hit it. So where are we supposed to go?"

"We have to find the villa."

So that was what we tried to do. Nick kept his distance, I just hoped that it'd calm down with some water. Did dehydration mess with memory? Maybe. If that didn't then the blow to his head probably wasn't helping. All I knew was that he thought he'd just woken up hungover from Clay's thirtieth birthday. From the sounds of it, it seemed like Nick had organised it and Clay had no say... I wondered if Clay had even _been_ there.

We got to the bags and got them down. Nick kept trying to ask me questions, frowning now, as he stared at me. Stared hard. I couldn't figure out how to tell him what we were, so I mentioned that we'd been close. I didn't want to stress him out till he'd gotten water in him.

No, that wasn't the real truth. Truthfully, I didn't know how to handle this side of Nick, this time when he'd avoided all long term relationships, when he'd laugh at me if I told him I was his girlfriend, or I'd see him vanish into the jungle and calling me nuts. I wanted to get to the villa and call Jeremy. Clayton. Ele- ...not, not Elena. Antonio. I wanted to talk to Antonio and Clay. Get some help and maybe some backup. Nick knew and trusted them. I told him that we'd call them and explain it. Even if he thought he was thirty, he was still older than me, but I felt the separation between us suddenly and it scared me. I wanted to grasp for his hand and hold it, I wanted to hold onto him, I wanted to kiss him silly till it all came back. But finally, as Nick kept asking, his stress levels rising as his headache increased, I gave in somewhat.

"It's been a little while since Clayton turned thirty." I admitted, offering him the bottle of water I'd been guarding, letting him swallow it all.

"How long?" He slipped it into a pocket and started ahead of me, ready to take the lead, ready to use his instincts. "I think I hear something."

"A while. He'll tell you when I can get to a phone."

"So they know you?" He jogged closer as we made our way around the beaches, my nose and ears on alert, Nick's own working too. "Enough to let you call them?"

"Yes."

"How well?"

"We go for runs." I responded, glancing back at where Nick had frozen, seeing his mind trying to decide if I meant 'runs' or 'wolf runs'. I added for good measure, "On all fours. All of us."

"How much have I forgotten? Shit." He still looked suspicious, wary of me, but he was struggling with another instinct too. This was Nick's first time with my scent, as far as he knew, though I wondered if his instincts were screaming something else at him. We kept hurrying towards the sound we could hear, distant voices, but every time the strong wind gusted from me to him, Nick's shoulders stiffened, his nostrils flared, arms tensing as if he was struggling against something.

"Nick?"

He turned around to look at me. His pupils were dilated now, and I wondered if that was my scent or the fact that he was really not okay, the sight usually meaning he was about to jump on top of me. Nick inhaled again, drawing my smell into his chest, shaking his head. "Damn, you really do smell good. Yes?"

"If you're playing a prank, like you did the morning we..." The morning we'd gotten married. When he'd pretended we were in New York and he didn't know me. "Please stop. I'm upset enough about you tying me up." It was a last ditch effort at bringing him back, at forcing him to admit he was messing with my head, some of the hurt from his actions before threading into my voice. I was hoping to see regret, or something, or hear him admit he'd been joking.

He frowned at me, the emotion in my voice making him take a few steps back, holding up his hands. "Liz. I'm not joking with you. I seriously don't know who you are. Sorry if it upset you to be tied up but you're a strange mutt to me. We don't trust..."

"Yeah." What had I expected?

We found the source of the voices as we stumbled out of the jungle and onto a clear grassy area. There was a villa sitting there beside the beach, door open, a TV on in the window. Clayton had promised that this honeymoon would be free of all humans, all cooking would be waiting to be heated up, and I couldn't smell any humans around. There were old tracks, sure, but none of them fresh. Someone must have left a TV on by accident.

"That it?" He moved ahead as I nodded, crossing the grass with me close behind, Nick dumping the bags on the porch and heading in to stare at the flat screen TV. "Look at this. I've never seen one like it."

I followed him inside, exhaling slowly as we got out of the wind, relaxing. There was a letter on the table to 'Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Sorrentino' that I slipped into my pocket before he could see it and stress out again. I watched him touch the screen, fascinated, counting back mentally how many years ago it'd have been since he was thirty. Twenty years so... so this was Nick from the nineties'?

"Look at the colour!" He examined as he touched it. Prodded a button. It was on the weather channel, showing the storm heading towards us, apparently another one not far behind the first. "The sound. Fuck, look at the quality. Liz, have you seen one like this?"

"Do you want some water?"

Nick's head shot up and he nodded, as if he'd only just remembered that he was thirsty, dropping the remote and coming over. I handed him a glass.

"I need to change."

"Liz." He grabbed my arm, hands closing around it, and flinched when I jumped, his hand releasing mine. Suspicion was still there, filling his face, as Nick added, "Call them."

He wanted me to prove I knew them in other words. I nodded. "When I change, I will, I'm a bit cold."

He was grabbing my arm, staring at me again, lifting my hands to his nose, fingers running across my skin gently. I shut my eyes at the gentle caress, even if it wasn't what he intended, wishing he'd keep doing that. It calmed my frayed nerves. "You were bitten?"

"I was bitten by a mutt." I answered, opening my eyes as he continued to hold my hand, the confusion there. Confusion and disconnection. Like I'd lost my Nick and found some other version of him. How had he coped with this from his side? I didn't know any more. I stepped closer, reaching up, ignoring his flinch as I came close. I checked the cut on his head. "When you talk to Clayton, tell him about this."

Nick stepped closer now, a hand tracing up my side, nose brushing against my bare neck as he inhaled. "So we came here to be alone?"

"That was the idea."

A hand was sneaking down my back as he put the pieces together. I shuddered as it stroked across the back of my jeans, leaning closer to him, the familiar smell of my mate flooding my nose, ignoring the warning in the back of my head that something was off about this. "Just the two of us?"

"Just the two of us."

"For a bit of fun?" He pressed close now, lips tracing up my neck, hand sliding down over my behind harder, Nick's curls, dried out by the salt water, brushing against the side of my face.

"For a holiday together." Fun was guaranteed. I tempted it, touching his face, even if I felt strange about it. I shut my eyes and pretended it was Nick. Maybe he'd 'snap out of it' with a kiss or ... "Just the two of us. Away from the pack." And the triplets.

"And your husband?"

I blinked, stiffening, as the warmth of Nick separated from me, pushing me back off him.

Nick stepped back then, frowning, shooting me such a disdainful look that my breathing caught. "Don't sound like something I'd do. I don't get caught up with women who have husbands." His eyes went to my pocket and I reached for it, flushing, finding that it was empty.

Nick held them up, the precious rings, open dislike there now. "Found them when you were asleep, I was looking for your name. I don't mess with married women and I don't like women who do things that'll hurt others."

"Give them to me." I flinched at his tone, at his face, hurt. He thought I'd been cheating on someone with him.

"So what are you really doing here? Call Clayton if you know him so well." He pocketed them both again, crossing his arms, the expression on his face one that just made the pain in my chest increase. It was like being rejected all over again, being left behind, as if he'd again assumed I was like all the others he'd known. "Go on. Call him."

I turned my back on him and dialled, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to calm down. I held the phone to my ear, holding my breath as it crackled in the wind, eyes darting to the TV screen and the woman talking about the weather. The storm would hit here in a few hours and the instructions were to 'tape the windows with an X' and stay in a room without windows.

"Hello?" The voice came, clearly, cutting through the crackles, a drawl that flooded me with relief. I couldn't speak for a moment, sliding into the bedroom, locking Nick out before he could follow. He had to wait. "Hello?" Came Clay's voice again. "Who is it?"

"Anne." I ignored the 'thought you called yourself liz' from Nick outside. I stepped to the other side of the room, voice low. "It's me."

"You made it to the villa then?" Laughter. "Sorry about that. We decided you both needed a dunk in water before your honeymoon. Your bags are in the wardrobe. I hope it wasn't too shocking."

"Wait, what?"

"A... didn't you read the letter?"

"We haven't had time." I heard the door shudder as Nick went to bang it. "Bit of a problem over here."

"Shit. We told them to drop you two off on the other side and walk it. I warned you about that if you kept groping each other." Clayton was still grinning, I could hear it through the phone. "Having fun?"

"Nick nearly drowned me when the waves got too big for him, I got pulled out by a rip, and then Nick hit his head somehow and thinks you're both thirty and doesn't even remember Elena, but other than that, sure. Great fun." Another heavy shudder, as if he'd charged at the door. "He's pissed off with me, found my wedding rings, and thinks I'm a married woman trying to hook up with a single Nick."

The door was pounded on by Nick. "That Clay? Let me have the phone."

The answer was slow to come. "Wait, what?."

"He's hit his head and thinks he's thirty."

"I heard what you said, darling, but … you all right? Shit. You're right about a problem."

"What was Nick like when he was thirty?" I heard Clayton mutter something under his breath, heard Elena in the background go 'Hello, Jeremy?' and knew that they were already on it. Fantastic. I had no clue how to handle it. "That bad?"

"He had rules about avoiding married women, I remember that much. Doesn't like to hurt people."

"I don't know what to tell him. You-" The door fell open, lock breaking, as Nick slammed it. He snatched the phone from me and I heard him speak to Clayton.

"Clay? Who's Elena? Who is this?" Nick ignored me, stepping into the bedroom, and I slipped out to get something to drink.

I ignored the champagne, the chocolates, grabbed water and drank as much as I could. It came back up, all of it, and I tried again, making myself drink slower, calmer, exhausted.

I heard Nick's response without needing to focus.

"You've lost your mind, Clay. Seriously lost your mind. I can't be... a mirror? ...shit! ...this some kind of joke? … If she's pack… well, who's her husband? … What do you mean, you don't think you should be the one to tell me that? You're my best friend. Where's Tonio? ...well, who's El... you can't be. Pack law forbids that. My dad tried, remember?"

I relaxed, clutching the glass harder, staring out the window at the wind bending the trees, trying to breathe. Tried to put it together. Clayton had done what he'd threatened, thrown us out of a helicopter, and we'd almost drowned when Nick's bluff about loving surf turned out to be false. It would have been okay if Nick hadn't panicked, then I panicked because I didn't want him to drown, and then...

"_You're_ the one that enforces it. How can it have changed? Jeremy?"

I tugged out the letter as I heard Clay and Nick arguing, reading it, seeing the same explanation there. We'd been dropped in and they'd come pick us up in a week. No humans around. Food in chest freezer in the pantry. Have fun. Triplets would be waiting when we got back.

I slid into a barstool and shut my eyes as I rested my head against the bench, cool stone meeting my forehead, not really caring how the storm outside was shaking the window. The sounds of Nick's voice in the bedroom filtered out till it became background noise as well, sleep slipping over me.

A phone was shoved against my ear as Nick reappeared. He looked upset, muttering something about fifty and being old, not helping how I was feeling about this, before he jumped up onto the bench and sat there.

"You there?" Clay's voice came and I sighed slowly. He seemed to take that as a yes. "Jer's coming. Guess we'll postpone this. Elena's on the phone to him now. Nick said you were asleep, how are you feeling?"

"Annoyed." I muttered. Then I hesitated. No, that wasn't fair. "I mean, I'm okay. A bit tired."

"I mean, are you hurt? You said you'd nearly drowned."

Oh. I flushed. "My chest hurts a bit."

Clayton repeated this to Elena, who was apparently on the phone to someone else, and then he asked, "Did you get any water in you?"

"A bit. I think. I think I swallowed most of it."

That was repeated and then, "There should be a first aid kit somewhere in the kitchen. Tell Nick..."

"He's already doing it." I watched Nick hop off the bench and start to rummage through the kitchen, searching for it, as I spoke on the phone. I rubbed my head and yawned. "What did you tell him?"

"You're pack, I trust you-" That warmed me, Clayton's voice telling me that, reassuring me a little, "- and he better start doing it too."

"That's an order?"

"Damn right it was." Clayton replied. "Told him the pack's got new rules about mates and it's up to you to tell him the rest. Jeremy's coming with Jamie now."

"He might want to hurry. There's a storm hitting us tonight. Did you know that when you sent us out here?"

"Hey, you always said you loved tropical storms. Nick thought you'd enjoy it."

That made sense, as to why Nick had pushed for a 'summer' holiday in the tropics. "Did he know about the helicopter?"

"Nope, all our idea. Didn't know he was afraid of surf after all his boasting."

I watched Nick pause, in his hunt for the kit, to eat something out of the fridge, back still to me. He glanced back, still dislike there, something made my stomach twist painfully. "What about Nick's head?"

"Did you check?"

"I couldn't get close enough long enough."

"I'll put ice on it." Nick yanked an icepack out of the freezer and dumped it there. He caught sight of his own reflection again, the shiny wall oven throwing it back at him, staring at his hair. "Fifty. Fuck."

"He's having another mid-life crisis." I added, as he stared at his hair in the reflection, thumbing through it. "I think he's searching for grey hairs."

"Tell him that he dyed them away before he left."

Nick heard and glared back at me. I cringed and he blinked, opening his mouth as if to say something, but I turned my back on him. Every time he looked at me like that, it made my chest tighten more, breathing harder. I couldn't speak now.

"Jeremy's coming." Clayton added, quieter, reassuring me, apparently hearing my breathing struggling. "I'd come but-"

"Elena." Elena had just become alpha and naturally, the change in leadership meant that there was new problems for Clayton as the protector and enforcer, because mutts were coming to challenge the new leadership. Anyone who tried would be insane, normally, but that didn't change the fact that a group of mutts, some young, some old, had forgotten Elena's reputation and assumed it meant the pack was easy pickings. It had also meant that a honeymoon in America, either north or south, was more or less impossible for us. I felt it welling up again, the nausea, and shoved the phone at Nick as I heard Clayton's response.

"Exactly. So hang on."

* * *

><p>Nick<p>

I was old. The words kept dancing through my head, over and over, as I stood in the reflection, prodding at my face, at the lines in the skin, at the dark hair, trying to find the grey I'd apparently dyed out. Fifty years old. Fifty! Werewolf standards, not too old, sure, but it was going to change my game. Not that it mattered, I lifted my shirt, checked myself out, still in good shape. Muscles, hair dried out from the sea water, and that chick didn't seem to mind. Shame she was married. I'd never heard of a female werewolf before and wondered how they'd be in bed.

Even if she hadn't been married, I doubted it was a good idea to get involved, she always seemed really put off by me somehow. 'Casual fun' wouldn't apply to her. I'd have to work too hard, get too deep, before she allowed me through.

I glanced at her in the reflection, her back to me as she spoke to Clay as if he was an old friend, frowning. That was till I caught the reflection of me doing it, touching the lines it made, smoothing them out. Then back to her. The entire morning, since I'd found her on the beach, her scent had done that. Hooked my eyes over and over, I couldn't take my eyes off her, the smell netting me in and holding me there. Provoking worry over her hands, her feet, the blood I'd found, everything. Her breathing scared me the worst. It wasn't working right. I could hear it, even if she seemed to be unaware, hear that it was wrong, that there was something _off_ about it.

And every time I glared at her or mentioned the husband, she'd gotten this hurt look on her face, always making me regret whatever it was I'd said to hurt her. Some part of me wondered if the husband had been the one to bite her or to inflict those fucking awful scars on her back.

I stared at my reflection, obsessive about the changes, the scars I didn't understand, only vaguely caring now what she said to Clay. If he trusted her, which was extremely rare for him to say about anyone, that was good enough. She had to have been around a while to earn that.

The phone was shoved into my hand and I heard her rush to the en-suite beside the bedroom and throw up again, coughing, sounding awful.

"Anne?"

"Who's Anne?"

"Elizabeth Anne. We call her Anne." Clayton replied. "Is she throwing up?"

Why did I call her Liz then? I slid into the barstool and rubbed my sore head again. "Sounds like it. Clay, you've gotta see the TV in here. It's incredible."

"And you're not with her?" I heard it, surprise, and blinked at Clay's tone.

"Should I be?" She was throwing up, which wasn't good, but what was I going to do? Stand there and tell her it'd stop soon? Clay was acting stranger by the second- I was starting to doubt it was really him. Since when did he give a damn like this? I grabbed a glass, filling it with water, hearing thunder in the distance. "I'll get her water."

"You-"

A sound made us both freeze, another man's voice as a door slid open, the gale winds outside suddenly flooding into the house, two bodies being pushed with rain. Jeremy, much older than I'd ever seen him, stumbled in, a woman securely held under his arm in the wind. A human woman. Under his arm.

"Jeremy's here. With a woman." I informed Clayton. I expected him to sound surprised or something but instead he snorted.

"I told you he's coming with Jamie. Good. You talk with him and I'll tell Elena he's there." He hung up before I could ask why tell Elena. Who was she? She was blonde. I knew that somehow. Blonde woman. Good kisser. ...now how did I know _that_?

Urgh, this entire thing was confusing me.

"Hi Nick." The woman spoke, I stared at her blankly, confused. "I... uh..."

"Anne's in the bathroom." Jeremy told her softly. "Can you check on her?"

She nodded, his hand squeezing hers, and went past me to go into the en-suite. Her scent drifted past me as she went. Definitely human and definitely covered in Jeremy's smell.

"That was fast." I heard Anne mutter from the bathroom. I had to agree there.

"We were staying nearby." Jeremy explained as he shook the water out of his hair. "How's the head?"

"Sore." I muttered. I looked Jeremy up and down, the grey hair, the lines, new scars, the amusement in his face as I took it all in. "When did you get old?"

"When you did."

* * *

><p>Anne<p>

I stared at the toilet and flushed it. Voices were outside, more than Nick now, Jeremy and Jamie's voices mingling. That made no sense to me. Weren't they supposed to be in America right now? Apparently not, I thought as Jamie came in with an empty glass, filling it at the tap and offering it to me.

"You all right?" She asked, concerned, kneeling down.

"Just dehydrated, I think. I can't keep water down." I took the water and sipped it slowly, forcing myself to stop after just a little bit, putting it down. "Have to stop gulping it down. How did you get here so fast?"

Jamie grinned a little. "I got you the island. We figured if you were getting a holiday we should get one too."

"So you're staying somewhere here?"

"There's a villa in the middle of the island." She nodded and glanced back just moments before I heard Jeremy. Jamie stood up as he offered a hand to help me up.

I stood up with his help and grabbed the water, sipping it again slowly, ignoring the wave of nausea that came with it. Jeremy leaned closer, speaking low, clearly not wanting Nick to hear.

"Not pregnant?"

"_No_." Honestly. A woman had three babies, admittedly conceiving them pretty fast, and suddenly every time she threw up she was pregnant. I didn't want to go through that again any time soon.

The strength of my answer made him laugh softly and he directed me back into the living room to sit down beside Nick. I glanced sideways at him, briefly, hoping to see ...I didn't know. Jeremy's magical touch having brought his memories back.

I saw the same indifference, the same 'I don't really know you' expression, and squeezed my eyes shut as I turned forward again. Like sitting on a couch next to a stranger.

Jeremy knelt in front of me, starting to ask how I fetl, did this hurt, did that, and I pushed him sideways at Nick.

"Go to him first. I'm fine. Dehydrated. He's the one who's lost all his memories."

Jeremy nodded, shifting sideways, shifting a light into Nick's dark hair so he could see it better. I watched the storm approach across the ocean, standing to watch, fascinated. I loved storms. It would have been romantic, except of course for the danger of the windows shattering, to be with Nick in this.

"Jamie?" I turned to see her and she glanced up. "Can you help me tape x shapes on the windows?"

"Tape x shapes on the windows?" She repeated this, not sure what I was asking, and I nodded as I headed into the kitchen.

Tape, tape, tape... if they let us stay here, surely they'd have left us some for the storm. Nothing.

"Don't worry about that." Jeremy called as he shone a light in Nick's eyes. "You'll both come to our villa. This might be a bit too low. I just want to make sure you're all right before we go."

"Is Nick okay?" I called and he nodded, standing.

"I'll put something on it when we get there but seems okay." Jeremy was heading over as if he wanted to check me but I held up my hands.

"If you're going to check me, don't. I just feel like throwing up and I feel a bit weak. It's lack of water, that's all, nothing we can't fix. Leave me for up there then. It looks pretty nasty out there." I glanced outside, at the storm, the trees waving backwards and forwards, rain being thrown so hard against the ground that it was bouncing like sheets of tiny waves, the windows already trembling slightly. Jeremy followed my gaze and then to Jamie. She wasn't as strong as us in the wind, I could tell he was concerned about that.

"Get your bags. They're in the wardrobe." He instructed us and we went into the bedroom, tugging the doors open, pulling the bags out.

Mine was heavy. I swayed as I picked it up, blinking, trying to hold it. Fuck. Had it been like this when I packed it? Had Clayton slipped something inside? Or Nick? Or Reece? Or Daniella? With so many pack members who'd probably have enjoyed sneaking 'surprises', it was unfortunately a very high possibility. It hurt my arm too, hurt it like hell, the pain in my hand apparently extending higher.

"You want me to ..." Nick was holding out his hand and I shook my head.

"Let's get going." I turned my back, pushing it into the middle of my back, not sure what was wrong with me. It wasn't that bad. Didn't I have superhuman werewolf powers? Shesh. They weren't much use if I couldn't lift a bag.

Jeremy waited and his arm slid around Jamie as he opened the door, holding her securely in the wind, waiting till we'd past through the door before he shut it and locked it. The wind almost slammed me against the side of the building, that weakness with the bag now extending to the wind, and I cringed as I felt myself pushed backwards. Nick's hand shot out to grab my arm, tugging me against him, staring at me as I struggled to stand when he was doing fine.

Luckily Jeremy hadn't noticed. We followed him up, Nick's arm letting me go when I pushed him away, the trees starting to block the wind somewhat. It was getting harder to walk though, my legs aching, body struggling to keep up the pace behind them, the urge to throw up growing all over again. Mud under feet was harder to get through, I kept slipping, Nick finally refusing to let go of my arm and tugging me beside him. He finally grabbed my bag off me, hoisting it onto his back as easily as if it was just a bag of marshmallows, shaking his head. I could see it in his face. His 'first' female werewolf and she was as weak as a human girl.

Normally I wasn't like this. Right now though...

I threw up, gasping as the water came up, dry wrenching when it didn't. Nick waited, Jeremy already ahead with Jamie, the wind whipping across us, throwing water and branches falling. It was going to be one hell of a storm, that was for sure. We hurried after them, I was using trees to keep upright, rubbing my eyes every time blurriness threatened to overwhelm me, moving slower. Nick vanished after a while, the path up the jungle the only thing I could really follow, breathing struggling again.

Something wasn't right. Dehydration? I didn't know if it worked like this.

My legs gave way and I slid. Muddy path, muddy edge of path, a slope, arms not able to grab onto things, it was one disaster after another as I rolled down the slope, landing with an 'oof' on the side of a tree, grabbing on it hard. I didn't feel upset- I felt embarrassed. _So embarrassed._ This was not me. I chased down mutts, hunted, I was a big scary strong werewolf woman who had to train, study, help Clayton from time to time with 'intimidation', I even stopped Nick from drowning earlier and keep up with three toddlers. I did not trip on muddy footpaths, fall over and roll down slopes, struggle to lift bags or vomit. Oh. Okay. I may have when I was younger. I did sometimes get a bit clumsy, particularly on wet ground, and I had been sort of renowned for falling 'gracefully'. A lot actually. But today was a whole other level of absurdity.

I threw up again, or tried to, my stomach heaving as nothing came, one of my arms seriously hurting now. I kept it wrapped around the tree, refusing to slid any more, legs not letting me use them. When Nick didn't show up again within seconds, I knew he wasn't joking, the reality of that sinking in. The Nick I knew wouldn't have left me here.

I shut my eyes and tried to breathe.

* * *

><p>Nick<p>

One minute she was there, the next she wasn't, and I growled impatiently. The woman kept refusing me to help her, I literally had to drag the bag off her, and it wasn't that heavy. It frustrated me. What was wrong with accepting help? Was it because I called her a prostitute or let her know I knew she was married? Rejected her approach? Pride?

Where had she gone anyway? I could see Jeremy's villa, some place up high, see him waiting, and knew I was about to get an earful from him. He glanced at me, at Liz's bag, and then behind me.

"I only just noticed." I protested before he opened his mouth, dropping the bag, cringing as a cramp made the muscles in an arm get upset. "Just now. She couldn't carry it."

"She couldn't lift this?" Jeremy lifted it up easily, staring at the bag, then at me. "So where is she?"

I glanced back down the paved path to the beach, the jungle hiding most of it as it wove down the slope. No sign of her. A tinge of anxiety, much like the one I'd felt when I saw her on the beach, made my stomach twist. When I admitted, "Don't know," that anxiety got worse. My 'inner wolf', if it was there, would be pacing up and down, fur rising, like something was wrong.

"_You don't know_?" Jeremy repeated the words, as if he couldn't believe that he'd heard them right, blinking. "You don't know where she is?"

"I don't know. I went back down a bit but ...maybe she went back to the beach place."

"So go find her." He didn't give me a chance to hesitate, grabbing the bags off me, pushing me back out into the wind and rain. "Go!"

I went.

Ten minutes down I saw the muddy skid, where one of her feet must have lost grip, saw it slide into the mud beside the paved path, and down the slope. She was down there, curled up around a tree, eyes shut, and even though it was just a couple of metres of slope to walk back up, she hadn't moved. That unfamiliar anxiety grew stronger, as she didn't even look up as I made my way slowly down, when she surely would have heard me. Or smelt me. Even a human would.

One look at her face and I saw she wasn't there. She was alive, sort of, but her breathing was funny, lips blue, clutching the tree so hard her arms were white. I peeled them off the tree, it didn't take much, lifting her up and heading back up the path. What had been a ten minute walk now felt like an hour's jog, I could sense something was wrong now, almost feel what was going on in my own body. Feel my own breathing struggle, my own stomach twist and try and vomit, my own body weakening.

Jeremy was still standing in the doorway. He lifted her up and I followed him in, shutting the door behind us, seeing Jamie taping the windows and getting stuff out for the storm. Good for her, I followed Jeremy to the couch, kneeling beside her as he bent over her.

"She's not breathing right."

"I know." Jeremy reassured me. He frowned as he touched her lip, bent over her to listen to her chest, his own heart pounding hard. "There's no water in her chest but she's not getting enough air. Jamie, do you have the kit?"

She threw it over, a large box of something Jeremy catching it, tugging it open. Jeremy lifted out a canister and a mask.

Jeremy's eyes fixed in mine. "It's easier if you lie down beside her. She'll relax." He lifted her up, waiting for me to do as I was told, and I knew I had no choice there.

I did what he told me, scared like crap as her breathing failed a little bit more, Jeremy lowering her back down against my side with her head in my arm. "Why do I have to lie here?"

He didn't answer me, just pushed the mask to her face, the sound of gas hissing as Jeremy adjusted it. "There. Oxygen. I'll find out what to do while it keeps her breathing. Keep it there." Jeremy took something out of his pocket, a small black box, and glanced at me. "How are you feeling?"

"I..."

"Do you feel sick? Chest hurt?"

"I feel weak and I want to throw up?" I wasn't sure why he was asking me. I added, after an afterthought, "My arm feels a bit numb." I lifted it up to check but it looked normal. Strange.

"Which one?"

He didn't have to ask, I was holding it up, but I told him anyway. "Left."

I watched him lift up her left arm, inspecting it, inspecting the little cuts and scrapes on her hand. Jeremy inhaled slowly as he found something. Some kind of bite, small, insignificant looking, but even as he held it up I could smell it. Nothing too dramatic... but it didn't smell right either. She didn't smell right. He wrapped her arm up firmly with a bandage, right up to her shoulder, before he started pulling things out of the box, a little cardboard picture of bites being held up to her hand.

"What is it?"

"Bite of some kind." He replied, confidence reassuring me somehow, as if he had planned this out months ago and was just carrying it out. "Did she complain of a bite?"

"No." She didn't complain of any of it. Not even vomiting. She just took it, this stubborn look on her face, and I had to admit it was cute. I felt her soft hair brush against my chin, as she tried to fight it even now, like she was too stubborn to admit she needed help even now. One of her hands was trying to get the mask off her face and I grabbed it, holding it, keeping it still. "She doesn't like being weak, does she?"

Jeremy smile then, a small tense smile, glancing at me. "Not in front of you. No."

"Stupid Australian." The words came out before I could think about them, affectionate words, words I felt like I'd said many times before. Stupid Australian? I stared at her, her hand trying to wriggle free of mine, words answering mine.

"Stupid American." Eyes opened then, struggling to do so, the dark blue-grey meeting mine as if she was matching the storm outside, catching my breath with the intensity of them. Love. So much love. I stared at her, bewildered by that, aware that I'd never really seen a woman look at me like that before. Never. Then she blinked, as I didn't return it, hurt crossing her face. She struggled harder, trying to get me to let her go, Jeremy's hand moving to hold her there.

"Keep the mask on, Anne." Jeremy glanced at her now she was awake, her eyes going from my face to his.

After a minute she was gone again, body relaxing, and Jeremy seemed to find the card he was looking for. He held up her hand to me, the bite half-hidden under the cuts, and asked me if it looked the same.

"Yeah."

Jeremy pulled out one of the little boxes, jabbed the needle into her, and squeezed.

"What is it?"

"I think it's a sea snake so I'm using anti venom. If it doesn't work I'll have to try another."

There was nothing left for us to do then except wait. After a while I got up, heading into the kitchen, filling things with water while the storm got bad. It was like a blizzard only... it was hot. We had the air conditioning going, thankfully, but the power wasn't going to hold out much longer.

When she pulled through, I'd ask her out on a date. I smiled somewhat at that thought, picturing where I could take her, what I could do...

As the day went on though, she made no sign she was going to wake, and we settled in. I studied the TV, the bags, everything I could find. The four of us slept there that night, electricity going, the TV telling us the storm still was another twelve hours away, even though the lightning flashed occasionally overhead, the wind bent the trees over, the rain pounding against the window. How big was the storm going to be? Apparently it wasn't a storm now. It was a hurricane.

Guess that was what we got for being in the tropics during summer. Jeremy sent me back down to the original villa to get the supplies from there, several trips back and forward with boxes of food and first aid, while he kept watch on the Australian. The wind increased every time I went out, till even I struggled in it, loosing a few objects as the wind caught them.

Finally I had to ask him. Everyone called her Anne. I called her Liz. It'd been bothering me all day, this relationship, because I felt like no one was telling me something important. Something to do with those rings that were weighing down my pocket all the time. When I slid behind her again, expecting to be told off, no one seemed surprised. They seemed relieved, actually, and it deepened my suspicion.

"Jeremy, why do I call her Liz?"

Jeremy glanced up from another check on her. She was sweating, breathing with difficulty still, lost in whatever dreams she was in. "You met her when she was Liz. We met her when she was Anne. She changed it after ...after her bite."

"Did her husband bite her?"

He shook his head, sliding back, glancing up to Jamie as she came to sit beside him with a tray of hot cocoa. Jamie offered me one and I shook my head, suddenly afraid that if I tried to drink it, I might dribble some on her head. Jeremy shook his head, sipping his drink, holding her bandaged arm so that it was low down.

"Who bit her then?"

"Someone she took care of with Clayton." He glanced at her. "A mutt."

"So where is her husband?" I wondered if he was even in the picture. Before I'd been pissed off. Now... I wasn't. Somehow I didn't feel anger. Maybe there was a reason I'd let myself get involved with a taken woman.

"He was never fast, was he." Jeremy commented to Jamie, lightly, as he wrapped an arm around her. The storm had taken on a stronger edge now, rattling the windows hard, just about on us. "She's _your_ mate."

Your mate.

I had to get out of the room then. Slid up from her, backing up, heading out of the room and away into a bedroom, my own breathing struggling. Where was another spare oxygen canister? I was almost hyperventilating. My mate. My wife? No fucking way. I ...wouldn't marry. I didn't date. I couldn't marry.

Your mate?

Had I got her pregnant? Would I marry her if she was pregnant? Probably but … in the _human_ world, a wife may have been that. In the human world, a woman was married if a man got her pregnant. In the werewolf world though, even if the term mate was new to it in my world, it would be a different meaning altogether. Far as I knew, most wolves mated for life. No 'divorce'. No 'till the kids are older'. And the scariest part was that I knew that. I knew who she was. Every time I saw the hurt in her face while I'd tried to talk to her, I felt the growl deep inside me, the resistance to what I'd been doing.

The words kept echoing through my head as I was forced to sit there and face this reality. I had fun with chicks and I got away. No commitments, no one getting hurt, and I had a great time. We all did. What had I been thinking, getting a 'mate'?

Clayton told me Elena was 'his mate'. So matter of factly, so calmly, she was 'his mate' and they had children. Children! Clayton! Breeding! This was a terrifying image and I wondered if she was a meek little thing, letting him chase her around, following his orders. A female Nick, in other words, but one that had committed. I doubted if that was the case- I wouldn't have let him do it. It wouldn't be right.

Your mate.

I tugged out the rings I'd taken from her and held them up. Stared at them. Images of them flashed through my head, of laughter, of her face, and something else. My laughter. Onion soup. Something she didn't like about onion soup.

This was _too much_.

I had a sudden realisation that 'mate' didn't mean she was my wife and calmed down a little. Just for a moment. Then a new panic. What if I'd bonded onto someone who was married to someone else? Panic came back, the idea that she'd be married to someone, I pictured her with someone, marrying someone, kissing them, and felt a growl there before I could hold it back.

This passed as I caught sight of something else. Something gold and glinting on my own finger. Somehow I'd missed or ignored it, that little gold band, sitting easily against my own skin. It could only be one kind of ring. I didn't wear gold otherwise, it was tacky, and _never_ anything on that finger. The kind of women attracted by that finger being claimed repulsed me.

"Jeremy, what's Clayton's number?" I picked up the phone but before he answered, I was already dialling a number, my hand shaking, already seemingly knowing who I was aiming for.

It wasn't Clayton who picked up. It was a woman, a woman who smashed my head open with memories around her, of her laughter, of her blonde hair, the hurt on her face when I'd started at her like she was a joke the first time I'd met her, the screams from the cage, the tears... and Clayton. His mate. I remembered her. I almost dropped the phone as I heard her asking who it was, felt a wave of affection wash over me for her like it had never been for any woman, and grasped the phone tighter.

"El...Elena? I need to talk."

She tried to reassure me on the phone as I babbled at her, about Liz, and marriage, and mates, confusion clouding my head. I remembered Elena, her twins, everything about her. Clayton's life up to now as well. It was foggy though, elements missing, things missing. Liz was missing.

"Is she my wife?" Or was I married to someone else? The second question hung there as Elena went quiet.

"Course she is. There's a photo in your wallet. In your bag."

I went for it, searching, finding a dark brown leather wallet. There she was, wedding dress and all, looking dazed as if she couldn't quite understand what the fuss was about, with me standing beside her. Older me. Arm around her, grinning like I'd won the lottery. Behind that photo was another one. Three babies side by side. Two with big blue eyes, one with darker brown eyes, gazing up at the camera from a rug covered in forest and animal things as they chewed on toys.

God, I loved them.

I didn't need to ask Elena who's kids they were. The second I saw them, even if I couldn't remember their names, I knew they were mine. The love flooding into me overwhelmed me so much I couldn't speak for a few minutes, staring at the photo, aware that they were Liz's babies too.

"I had babies with her."

"Yes. You remembered?"

"I found their photo." I collapsed onto the bed with the photo. She might have been married but these? These were mine. Every instinct in me agreed with that, the same one that was starting to get angry at the idea of Liz being married, these ones belonged to _me_. "Where are they?"

"They are-" She paused. "-playing with your dad downstairs."

"Babies." I stared at the photo. Stared at it long and hard, the two girls with identical pony tails out of the tiny scraps of hair they had, their nails painted different colours, the boy's dark eyes the clearest on the camera. Dad would have laughed his head off at that. "Is that why I married her?"

"What do you think?" Elena's voice got a bit dryer at that. It was a stupid question. Of course it wasn't. I wouldn't have kept a woman around just for that, I would have hired her a nanny, kept her away from my life at Stonehaven. And I wouldn't marry her just because she was pregnant. We all knew how well that'd gone when my dad tried it. Most of us were 'bastards' anyway.

"She's really my wife?"

"Has been since you met her." That was Clayton, who was apparently listening in, not far from the phone. "Where is she?"

"She's-"

My chest hurt suddenly and I clutched the phone with the suddenness of it. Almost at the same time Jeremy yelled for me to get back in and stop sulking, he needed my help.

She'd gone stiff on the couch, the mask thrown aside, and her heart... I couldn't hear it. Panic flooded over me, so much that I could barely breathe myself, feeling as if my heart was going to explode.

"Stop standing and help!" Jeremy was already on the problem, pushing his hands into the heart, and I skidded around the couch, following his instructions. Breathe for her. I breathed for her, trying to get as much as I could into her lungs, the phone still in one hand as we tried to get her back. I needed her back. It scared me, scared me how much it hurt to think she'd be gone before I remembered her, the lips so familiar...

Then she was back, suddenly, gasping for air, her heart thudding hard against her ribcage. I collapsed back, the phone still in my hand, Elena and Clayton's voices there

We spoke but it wasn't long before her heart failed again, and Jeremy threw the phone to Jamie, trying to get some understanding of what it might be. After a while all we could do was this, keep her breathing, keep her heart moving, keep the blood going when she didn't seem able to do it, because if we didn't her heart failed again.

I felt guilt, almost as if it was my fault, but Jeremy ignored that theory. When he got an answer from Jamie he could use, he injected something else into her. Heart in throat, I waited, keeping her breathing, hands stroking her face...

It didn't happen again. Whatever he'd done had fixed the problem for now. I collapsed back, grabbing for the phone, only to find the power had gone out while we'd been keeping her alive. She kept breathing, her heart kept beating, and I retreated into a corner to keep watch, struggling to stay away now. Now that I knew what she had been to me. I didn't understand why she hadn't just said it out loud.

Just as I relaxed, it happened again. And this time I felt like it was different. More final. Like something in me knew, knew that it had really stopped everything she was, really had torn her away from the body. Panic, blind panic, ripped through me, shattering something in my head.

This time I couldn't do it, I was panicking too much, and felt Jeremy shove me aside.

"Get out of the way. You're not helping now. Jamie?"

She replaced me, as he shoved me into the seat, and I had to watch. Had to watch the girl die again, hear the blood slow in her body as they tried to get it working, see Jeremy inject something into her all over again when her heart didn't work...

He tried for ten minutes, my anxiety rising higher and higher, like a volcano about to erupt. If he didn't get her back, I felt myself building, as if I couldn't stop it. I'd go mental. Change. Scream. And I still didn't remember her. Jeremy glanced at me, as he turned around, abandoning her heart for a moment. I stood up then, as if I was going to take his place, but I froze when he took out a big needle. A huge needle. So huge it made me feel physically sick to stare at it. Felt her chest, and slammed it in.

Pain erupted in my chest at that, slamming into my head, and panic flooded through me. Vauge memories of … I didn't know. The smell of her blood once. Running with her through the woods at Stonehaven. The boat ride. Another thing about boats, I knew she was on a boat and not being allowed to go get her. The way she looked pregnant, lying there asleep, tiger stripes across her stomach. The first time with her against a wall. Chasing fireflies for her. Watching her train with Clayton, hair back, all cuteness gone. Watching her paint while she sat in the nursery. Surprising me in New York, a few months ago, while I worked, bringing me lunch when she was supposed to be at home. Six hours away. Valentine's day. Another boat tour. Another day lost in each other instead of the tour itself.

Not everything but enough to really force me to accept that she was something other than a nuisance. Fuck. _Liz_... I shoved Jeremy out of the way, trying to get her to wake, ignoring his order to move. So what if I didn't remember her?

She was breathing again, heart beating fast, Jeremy throwing the needle onto the table.

"Last time. I hope." He told us, sweat beading off his forehead, flopping into a seat beside her.

We waited.

* * *

><p>Anne<p>

I shuddered as I woke, fighting the unconsciousness, refusing to give into it. It wasn't that bad. I could still ...well, breath, no. Turned out I couldn't breathe that well. Or stand. Or walk. Some part of me felt like I was still at that tree, waiting, fighting with the need for Nick's help and to get there without Nick.

The mask bothered me, the oxygen cold, I kept trying to get it off my face only to have someone hold my hand down. The other arm was bound up and wasn't going anywhere so I kept trying. I didn't smell Nick any more with this thing on. I could hear a heart but ...there had been a moment at that tree, a realisation that he'd left me behind, that had stuck a barb into me.

It forced me to open my eyes, to make sure he was still there, finding him right above me. I did this several times, dipping in and out of dreams, not sure if it was a dream or the real thing, but sometimes it hurt to see his face. In a dream he loved me. In reality he didn't know me. I wanted to ask for the rings back. Hold onto them. When I tried to get the mask off to ask he held my hand harder.

Damn thirty year old Nick. I'd have to ...I didn't know. What kind of music was around then? Food? Clothing? I wasn't even alive when he was thirty.

He vanished after a while and it was harder to force myself to stay awake. Jeremy was there, of course, so was Jamie, and I liked them both. But in some ways it hurt to see them touching like that, so intimate, lovers, even if it was just a brush of the arm, or a look they gave to no other, intimacy far beyond just sex. Nick might not have even known what that was like at thirty if I was his first real relationship.

I dreamed of him kissing me, kissing me so hard it made it hard to breathe, and then when he wasn't, it just made it even harder. My chest hurt.

Lightning crashed, I jumped, eyes flying open as I heard the storm suddenly. Had it just come or had I fallen asleep again? The room was no longer lit up by daylight. It was dark, not quite night, but enough for there to be a candle out already. The clock said it was only three in the afternoon.

"It's all right." Jeremy reassured me, pulling the mask off, checking my face, my mouth, which confused me. "It's just the storm. Go back to sleep."

"I'm thirsty." I told him and he glanced up then back to me. Jamie didn't take long to get his 'telepathic message', soon water was there, and she had sat back down in a chair near him, her own face white as she stared out the window. Jeremy's hand brushed across her ankle before he accepted the water and offered it to me. "And hungry."

I sat up, slowly, desperate to get up. He slid up and helped me.

The water was incredible and I didn't feel like it was going to come back up. Still, slow sips seemed better than nothing, and I made myself stay upright. I felt okay. Weak, but okay. "So where's thirty and flirty."

"He was... here. Somewhere. Nick was on the phone to Elena till the power cut out." Jeremy answered. "What are you feeling?"

"Better. Really hungry and weak. What was it?"

"Sea snake bite. I think. I gave you anti-venom, but you had some complications..." Jeremy paused, his nostrils flaring slowly. "You smell less ...sick. Maybe it's over."

"Guess I found one in the rocks while I was trying to get out of the water. Poor thing was probably being smashed around too." I muttered and he raised his eyes. "I wish I'd seen it. I might have hurt it."

"It almost killed you." A voice came from the dark corner. Nick's voice. Growling at me. It made Jeremy jump too, as if he hadn't realised Nick was there, glancing over at the man.

"That seems to happen a lot." I muttered and sipped the water again. Almost killed you. Almost killed you. I had to get stronger or ...at least learn to look out for upset snakes. It took me a minute to realise that it wasn't Jeremy who'd said that. It was Nick, standing in the dark corner of the room, his arms crossed, like some obsessed gargoyle keeping watch. Was he... "Do you remember yet?"

"I remember some stuff."

Damn. Disappointment crossed my face and from the light on his face I could see that he wasn't happy either somehow. "How is Elena?"

"She's worried." He replied and before I could speak any more, was gone into the kitchen, his eyes avoiding mine.

I watched him go, heart sinking, wishing I could follow. "How long was I asleep?"

"A day and a half." Jeremy admitted. "You might struggle to walk for a while. Nick found some photos."

"Is that why he's upset?"

"He's confused." Jeremy replied, softer, glancing over his shoulder at the kitchen. "Elena was trying to reassure him." Jeremy's usually calm voice was gone suddenly, a waver of something else, like he'd started to reach his own limits. "I think you dying might have pushed him a little. He held himself together till the last one and..."

"Die?" I was about to suggest I should propose to him when he said that, cutting off my train of thought, blinking at Jeremy's expression. He was still pretty white and a little shell shocked for his usual calm face.

"You had to be revived a few times. Don't remember that? I had to inject something into your heart to get it going again, you might feel a bit sore."

I shook my head. I didn't remember that. Just wanted to get up, that was all I could remember, get up and ...I didn't know. Cook. Watch the storm. Make love to Nick till he passed out or begged for me to give him a break. Normal things. I reached for my chest, aware that it was sore, the taste of someone on my mouth... faded now, it had to be a while ago. Nick and someone else?

"We gave you something and it worked." Jeremy added. He seemed to be shaking, relieved, like it had scared him.

"I promise. No more swims with snakes." My stomach rumbled as I smelt something in the kitchen. "I can cook when I get up."

"Don't worry about that. All meals were precooked and there's a gas powered stove. Bit slower than microwave but it's getting there. A few minutes." Jeremy sighed, a long deep sigh as I finished the water, and I felt him grasp me in a hug. "You're really awake."

"Unless this is a dream."

The sudden drop of food in front of me from Nick proved it wasn't. Jeremy made me drink a glass of something first, some medication or powder that tasted nasty, and then he let me at the plate. It took some time, I could barely lift my arm, but I got it all down as everyone else got their meals.

The storm seemed a little worse than I expected though, as I calmed down, glancing outside. Someone had taped cardboard against the windows now, except for the bigger ones, they had tape in an x across them.

"Bad storm?"

"It got a little worse than we thought." Jeremy admitted. "Just got to relax and wait. You woke just in time for the arrival of it."

Hours drifted by, as we did just that, the storm growing worse by the hour. Additional food and water was offered to me every half hour, as if Jeremy was timing it, and it seemed to give back strength with every fresh meal, my body ravenousness for the energy. Jeremy went to sit beside Jamie, squeezing in, an arm around her in the dim light of the single candle. Nick stayed far away, his arms crossed, attention on me at all times even if he didn't make eye contact. It bothered me. The time seemed to inch by, though I was sure I wasn't awake for all of it, accepting additional food as it came.

Around eight that night, just as Jeremy was suggesting we cook another dinner, I knew I had to get up off the couch now. I was thirsty again and even worse... I had to pee.

I stood up slowly, ignoring the sudden movement from the corner, testing my body. It was fighting as hard as it could, and I found I could stand somewhat, a hand on the couch assisting, Jeremy's dark eyes just keeping an eye on me from the chair.

A hand wrapped around my side, Nick's scent crashing into me as he tried to help, and I struggled against him.

"I'm okay."

"Where are we going?" He didn't seem to care what I thought.

"Bathroom." Maybe he was afraid I'd die again. I had to admit, that part still shocked me, that I'd died and not even noticed. What if I had died? Lost my babies? Lost Nick? I stared at him then, as we made our way through the bedroom, saw Nick, not the stranger, imagined going somewhere without him.

He glanced sideways at me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Wait here."

I pushed him out, locking the door, and tried to relax as I relieved myself. Every time he was in the room I had to pretend it was okay he didn't know me, that I was okay with it, that I was able to cope. Outside the door in the lit room, Nick kept pacing back and forwards, his shadow crossing the gap.

I tried to flush, power gone, making my way slowly for the door. The shadow outside the door froze, and tried for the handle, just as I unlocked it. Nick pushed it open, nearly pushing me over, his hand reaching out to grab for me before I fell.

"Slow down! I'm okay." I was yanked up against him, his arms closing around me, his body shaking. "N-Nick?"

"I … sorry. I thought you were ...never mind. I can't let go." He muttered. "Stay here."

"Okay."

I heard him push the door shut with a foot, pushing me backwards, a bed meeting my calves as we fell onto it. Nick let go of me then, climbing on top of me, tugging my clothing with desperation, his breathing hard. I could smell it, smell his need, my own body mirroring it. Wasn't this what we were going to do here?

"Nick, if you don't remember-"

Lips cut me off, desperate lips, like he was trying to suck the memories out of me. Or had he remembered? I kissed him back desperately, inhaling as hands slid up my thighs over the jeans, body arching against his hands. It knew what to do even if I didn't. Seduce him and then worry about memories. Something about it seemed off. Maybe it was the fact that I could smell Jeremy's scent all over it. Jamie's scent too.

"This is Jeremy's bed." I muttered. _That_ thought killed any romantic thoughts in my head. I loved Jeremy, sure, but I knew what he'd done on it. To our senses that was an instant romance killer.

"I ...shit." He slid back, inhaling, blinking, trying to clear his groggy head. "It is."

Nick slid up, helping me stand as my legs struggled to get up from that height, tugging my top down again.

"Do you remember yet?"

"I-." He shook his head, struggling with something, mouth opening and closing. I resisted the urge to call him a fish as Nick's mouth opened and shut, like he was struggling to explain what it was, confusion clouding his head.

"Come on." I pulled the door open, making my way slowly, using the couches and things for additional support. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged at him. "Nick's doing fish impressions. Maybe he's thirsty."

Nick resumed his 'gargoyle' pose in the corner, as I flopped onto the couch, relief as my weight fell off my legs again. They weren't happy about moving.

Jeremy headed into the kitchen then, Jamie close behind after he glanced at her, and when they were gone Nick inched back over, slowly, circling around me as if he was afraid I'd bite again. "You're my mate?"

"That's what you kept insisting." I muttered. "Yes. We're mates."

"The Australian kind?"

"No, the wolf kind." I shook my head. I wanted him to remember already. "I suppose the Australian kind too. You're also my friend." Or were.

He slid across the couch, beside me, sliding closer. A hand grasped for mine, for my ring finger, touching it. I stiffened as he got close, I couldn't explain it, like I was afraid of what the 'young' Nick would think of me. It was as if I almost, almost, believed what Antonio had joked about months ago- that I had been a mid-life crisis for Nick. A permanent one. What if he didn't want me now that he thought he was young?

"Why were your rings off?" He tugged the rings out as he asked, fingering them, looking like he almost wanted to crush them. I inhaled sharply as his fist closed around them, crushing them, his eyes snapping up.

"I didn't want to loose them."

"They might have fallen out of your pocket, you know. You sure you want them still? Want to be married to me still?"

"Of course I do, I-"

"Well, why haven't you kissed me? Asked me on a date? Seduced me? Why didn't you tell me we were married then?" I could see it then. The jealousy, that one that reared up from time to time when someone in the pack got a bit too friendly, but it was serious now. He was seriously jealous.

"Nick..."

"You could ask me out. Show some interest. It's like you're not interested in me." He looked tired as he said that, exhausted, as if he hadn't slept. I saw him inhale sharply, suddenly, as if he'd remembered what he was holding. Nick glanced at his hand, opening it, regret on his face as he saw what he'd done to the rings. He'd actually bent them, the stones loose in his hand, and he swore. Nick growled, suddenly, scaring me as he flung them hard against the wall. Nick stood up, knocking my legs out of his way, and threw them hard against something, the bent metal reflecting the light of the candles, stones glittering as they fell out of their metal casings onto the floor.

"I..." He struggled, jaw opening and closing at the look of hurt on my face, eyes clouded with something. "I don't ...I need a moment." Nick was out the door before I could stand up, my legs not letting me get up enough, and by the time I got up he was gone.

"Anne?" Jeremy's hand closed over my shoulder as I temped the wind, nearly getting knocked back against the house, body not yet able to cope with that. "Inside."

I ignored him, shut the door in his face, and tried to walk. Tried to. The wind kept knocking me over as I tried to follow Nick in the darkness. The wind was so strong now, it knocked me right over, right into a tree that looked like it was about ready to fall over too. Nick was struggling too, so at least that was a good sign, but it didn't help me. I finally gave up and held onto the tree as it tried to stay upright, roots groaning under it, several already above the soggy earth. I watched him as he staggered through the wind. Waited there, rain and sticks pelting me, stubborn, pretending to not hear Jeremy's calls to come back. He took ten minutes to turn around. When he turned around, he seemed surprised to see me, face clouding with that anger again. He stormed up, dragging me inside off the tipping tree, and slammed the door behind us, hand a vice around my arm.

"What did you think you were doing out there?"

"Careful, Nick." Jeremy warned softly.

Nick frowned then, hesitating, his shoulders tensing. He rubbed his head and then shook it hard, releasing my arm, realising how hard he'd grabbed it. "Sorry. I ...fuck. I need a moment alone."

He headed for the bedroom this time and no one followed for a few minutes. I watched Jeremy gather the pieces of the rings up and the jewels and slip them into his pocket carefully.

* * *

><p>Nick<p>

I swore, hitting the pillow, the hurt in her head echoing in my head over and over. Okay, calm down Nick, relax. Enough teasing. Enough panicking. I'd destroyed the damn rings. Damn. She wasn't going to forgive that one easily. Maybe I was going too far with this teasing.

Then she kept doing things that sent my nerves on edge again. Spending too long in the bathroom. Looking like she needed a kiss, a hug, a cuddle, _something_. Standing in the rain in wind she couldn't take yet, like she wasn't going to let me leave her sight again, the sight of her head and face covered in water. The second I'd seen that I saw a flash of that face, half submerged in salt water, being dragged out to sea, had washed in my head when I saw her against the tree soaking wet. Drowning. Water splashing up around my knees as I waded in trying to get her out. Then boom, in came the eighties and early nineties music, the memory of a hooker, and she was suddenly a stranger.

It had taken her a minute to get back under my skin. _One minute_.

Before I knew it, I'd dragged her inside in a panicked frenzy, out of the rain, out of the water, almost wanting to shake her for being stupid. Almost. Seeing her almost drown in the rain... okay. That was a slight exaggeration. But she hadn't looked okay.

Then I saw the look on Jeremy's face and knew I'd gone too far.

A soft knock and I knew it was her, knew she was following again, the doorknob turning before I could tell her to back off. She had a towel in her hands, another around her head, holding it out to me.

"You're wet." She muttered, eyes avoiding mine, as if she wasn't sure what she'd see if she looked. It made me want to drag her onto Jeremy's bed all over again and claim it for ours. Made me want to kiss her till she looked at me. The look calmed me down a little though. "Sit down."

I sat down and watched her as she slid into my lap, as if she owned it, throwing the towel around my head and reaching up to stroke my scalp gently. It wasn't at all about drying me, that was pretty obvious, her fingertips massaging my hair and neck with the skill of someone who knew me. Knew every sensitive spot, every favourite area, as if she'd been coached.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I breathed in her smell slowly, felt the brush of her chest against mine as she tried to reach up, the inner edges of her bare arms tempting me. They looked sensitive.

She answered with words I barely paid attention to, answering automatically, my focus still her skin, wondering about it.

"You're not well still." I stroked her legs, seeing her flushed face, the too white skin around it, remembering the bite. "Sorry. Of course you're not going to ask me on a date right now. You've got to stop walking around. I'll carr-"

Liz cut me off, that stubborn look returning to her face, her jaw set. It made me grin.

I grasped one of her arms, holding it there, tracing my lips against the inside of her arm, smelling and hearing the blood suddenly rush faster through the veins there.

She still refused to look at me though. I grasped the towel around her head, pulling her head up, making her eyes meet mine. Then I kissed her, a soft sigh escaping my chest as I did, her taste as familiar as her touch.

When she made no move to stop me, returning it, my hands let go of the towel, sliding down her sides.

I'd tell her soon. She was fucking cute like this, all shy, trying to seduce me, clearly inexperienced at doing in the other way. It was like she was expecting me to throw her off and declare myself single again, and it made me love her all the more.

* * *

><p>Anne<p>

I refused to give him the towel. If he was stressed out then I had to calm him down. What had Nick done when I'd been upset with him? He'd kept going, as if nothing had changed, kept flirting, kept treating me like a lover. I had to do the same. He was right there. I felt awful for that, for ignoring him, but ...I didn't know how to do it. Suddenly I wished I had dates before Nick, some experience, something.

Nick sat down, blinking in surprise at me as I slid into his lap, refusing to look him in the eyes. Not till he calmed down.

"What are you doing?"

"You need to relax. And I wanted to ask you something." I added as I reached up to wrap the towel around his head, rubbing it against his damp hair, his face, stroking it with gentle circular strokes. It was a relief to sit down, actually, my body was exhausted, limbs barely able to walk.

"You're not well still." He seemed to know, his hands brushing across my legs, feeling the muscles tremble under his palms. "Sorry. Of course you're not going to ask me on a date right now. You've got to stop walking around. I'll carr-"

"When you've dried off." I insisted. Nick rolled his eyes, the shadow of a grin there, his hand firmly grasping one of my hands and holding it still. I watched him, heart rate increasing, the first traces of warmth flooding between my legs as his lips teased the skin there. Like he used to. Then he grabbed the edges of the towel I'd wrapped around my head.

He leaned down suddenly, kissing me, his hands tugging at the towel around my head to keep me from retreating, lips gentle. When I made no move to pull back and returned it, his hands slid down my shoulders, down onto my sides, and rolled us over so I was on my back,his hands throwing the towel off his head and to one side. He glanced back at it, as if he was tempted, fingers starting to grasp the hem of my top again.

"Jeremy's bed." I reminded him and he growled.

"Wall?" Nick offered. "Looks solid enough."

"Do you remember me?"

He shook his head, nodded, then shook it. "Sort of. Not completely."

"No sex then." I pushed him off me, standing with the help of his shoulder under my arm, using the wall for a prop as he lay there blinking at me. "Sorry. I ...It's strange. Sleeping with a man who doesn't know me. But … I could go on a date. With you." In the middle of this storm?

"You act like I was your first date. You don't seem to know how to seduce me." He stood up, stalking me, pushing me up against the wall. Hands slid up my sides, tugging one of my legs up around his hip, lips catching mine again in another hard kiss. His other hand lifted my other leg, lips teasing my skin along my neck, then he moved his head past me to sniff the wall. Nick added, "Jeremy didn't claim this wall yet. We can relax."

"That's because you were my first date. Kiss. Sex. All of it. I... want to date you. Dinner. Um. Something like that." I replied, breathing out slowly as his hips ground against mine.

Nick froze and tugged his head back from my neck. He let go of me suddenly, lowering one of my legs, like he was changing his mind somewhat about this. "Really?"

"You didn't notice at the time but ..."

"I did it here, didn't I?"

"Not on this island."

"No." He ground against me again, slower, gentler, watching my face as blood rushed into it, as a soft moan finally couldn't be held back filled his senses. Nick shut his eyes then. "Here. First time. Against a wall."

"Yes."

A banging on the wall, over the sound of the storm, made him twitch as we heard Jeremy call something about dinner being ready. The storm had hid them from us till now.

"No foreplay?" He seemed surprise by that, as if he was seeing a movie, body straining against mine through fabric. "None? Just you against a wall?"

"The entire third date was foreplay." I replied, shutting my eyes when a hand slid up my top, a finger brushing against a nipple, enjoying the look in my face as he teased my skin. "Sort of. Except for the park."

"Want to do it again? Another first time?" He nipped my neck harder, less gentle, clearly intending on giving that idea a go. "With more foreplay."

The window broke then, the wind shattering it, and I was dropped suddenly, shoulders and back shielding me, Nick's arms sliding up to hold me up. The door opened beside us, someone tugging us through, Nick right behind me as we were pulled back into the living room.

Jeremy fixed us with a stare, going from my flushed face to Nick's swollen lips and he crossed his arms somewhat. "This is why we sent you two on a honeymoon. Nick- kitchen. Anne- sit down."

"That why we came here?" Nick asked, shaking himself off a bit, shards of glass in his hair and across his clothing. He headed into the kitchen to pull it off carefully and Jeremy headed after him. I went to follow but found Jamie pulling me towards the couches.

"Sit down." She said, softly, glancing towards the kitchen. "Before Jeremy ties you down."

She was right. I slid down into the couch, relief again in my legs as I took my weight off them, breathing out slowly.

The food was waiting and I didn't start to eat till Nick returned, however hard it was to wait, now shirtless, a few scratches on his arms and that was about it. He flopped beside me and leaned over to snatch a plate.

I ate slowly, trying to not fall asleep as I ate, answering Jeremy's questions as they came. How did I feel? Tired. Was I sore? Yes. Could I walk? Yes. Could I eat and swallow? Yes. He unwrapped my arm, hesitating as he did, checking, as if he was afraid I'd suddenly pass out again. A quick check and he wrapped it up again, carefully, making sure it wasn't too tight. He'd leave it on overnight.

Jeremy and Jamie retreated to another door after. It was another bedroom, one I hadn't seen before, and they threw out some pillows and blankets for us.

"The sofa becomes a bed." Jeremy informed us. "Keep it down."

The night was awkward. I couldn't sleep all of a sudden, as I slid into the bed beside Nick, his fingers roaming even as he tried to fight with himself over it. When he'd fallen asleep I was still awake, staring out the windows behind him, watching the storm batter and shake the French window as if it was trying to smash it inwards. It almost did at one point, when a branch hit the doors head on, and I jumped.

No way I could relax like this. I had to get up.

Ignoring Nick's snore, I slid out of the sofa bed, circling around as I used the wall as a prop, making my way to the window. There wasn't much to see out there, really, just wind and storm, the darkness crowding into the room. I shivered. It'd been some time since the dark had really gotten to me, quite a lot of time, but … my heart raced a little more. Was that a flash of light? Someone outside in the trees? Did I see a shadow out there?

Was that a shape moving?

My eyes darted backwards and forwards, ears straining over the sound of the wind and rain, watching the force of the wind push the rain right through the cracks of the window frames themselves. Should I cover it with something? What? It had tape all over it. Maybe we should sleep in the kitchen or ...I didn't know. The trees seemed to be blocking most of the wind but still...

Suddenly the wind stopped. The rain stopped. Everything went quiet very suddenly. Fear raced through me, fear till I glanced outside, and saw stars in the middle of a giant circle above us.

"You not sleepy?" Nick muttered from behind me, sounding sleepy himself, as a hand came to drape across my shoulders. I jumped, adrenaline flooding through me, and he tightened his grip. "It's okay. Don't like the dark?"

"Not on my own." I admitted, crossing my arms, staring outside.

"You've got me, don't you?"

"You don't remember me." I muttered, voice low, Nick shifting closer as he strained to hear me. "I might sleep on the floor tonight."

"You aren't sleeping on the floor." Nick muttered. He glanced outside as a hand closed around mine. "Eye of the storm? Let's go look."

Before I could stop him, he eased the doors open, pulling me behind him, the two of us going outside onto the wet grass, stepping around the branches, a fallen tree, other debris. Nick wrapped an arm around me as we stared up at the stars.

"It's strange after that wind." I admitted. "So quiet."

"Yeah." He agreed. "It is a bit quiet."

We heard laugher from inside, Jamie's squeal of surprise, a thump, the sound of something smashing and my cheeks reddened. Whatever Jeremy was up to... it sounded active.

"Old man's first woman." He commented lightly, glancing back, amused. "Guess he's like a teenager."

"I don't want to hear it."

Nick moved forward, arms till over my shoulders, leading me further away down the path. It was light, his touch, but it got harder every time I slipped, unsteady legs not liking how slippery the tiles on the path were. When we were a minute away he turned around, capturing me in a kiss, arms lifting me up off the ground easily.

"Focus on me."

I did. Heart racing, my breathing hard, I focused on him, lips dancing against his, our tongues twisting and finding each other, Nick's own body breathing hard against me, sweat in the humid night beading off both of us. He kept holding me up so I was at his height, all the sounds of Jeremy and Jamie gone, the world nothing more than an insignificant blur around us.

Time passed, though I had no idea how much, a drizzle of rain doing nothing to interrupt us. The sudden staggering wind and rain stopped Nick though, he almost fell over, arms tightening around me as he grabbed onto a tree for support. Nick lifted me into his arms when he got his balance again, heading back for the house, the return trip slower in the hard winds that were screaming around us, a branch almost knocking him over as it was thrown against his side.

We got inside, slammed the door shut, only for a few of the panels of glass to shatter. Nick swore, the tape holding most of the broken glass together, trying to cover it in cardboard. I helped, standing beside him, and we managed to get it covered and blocked. The door frame rattled and tried to open again, the sound of glass shattering in a few more panels, the cardboard we'd covered it in protecting us.

I cleaned it up, careful, sweeping it up off the tiles as Nick dumped it into the bin and grabbed us towels. When everything was cleaned up, glass gone, the storm blocked out, we relaxed against the wall nearby, breathing hard.

"You know." Nick said, as he leaned on his arm, looking down on me. "You could try seducing me instead." He winked. "I might enjoy that. A little seduction of thirty year old Nick. He's missing company."

"Then thirty year old Nick can go sleep with another woman, like he apparently did last night." I muttered. Jealousy flared in me, a little delayed, but there. The reality of what a 'man whore' he'd been before me was really starting to dawn. Okay. So it had been twenty one years and a few months since he'd really woken up hungover from a night drinking, partying and apparently having mad threesomes with hookers and ...whoever else was interested... but suddenly it bothered me. Maybe because he didn't remember anything sooner. "Maybe I better get tested for a STD."

Nick grinned and stepped closer, arm closing around mine. "Are you jealous? If that's your seduction talk, Aussie, you're bad at it. Look. Try this."

He pulled me to a wall, pushed himself against it as if he was pinned there, hands grabbing my shirt and ripping it right down the middle.

"Hey!"

"Cleavage is a useful seduction method. But not too much." Nick informed me, tying the torn parts of the shift together so it covered my bra, and pressed himself harder against the wall, and feigned submissiveness. I narrowed my eyes at him as he grabbed my arms and pressed one of my hands against his arm. "There. Eye contact and a bit of physical contact. That's good. See? I'm all interested already. I want to see more."

I stepped back and he slid up onto his feet a bit straighter.

"Playing hard to get?" Teeth flashed in the darkness. "I like that too." Nick stalked forward, hands reaching out for me, trying to grab at me.

"Nick, seriously, I -" The second I raised my hands, he pounced, teeth nibbling on my neck, pulling me against him. Without a regular strength in my limbs I couldn't do much more than wriggle and try and peel hands off me.

"You just surrendered." He informed me and let me go again.

"I did not." But I had. I'd raised my hands. I gazed up at him, raising my eyes, seeing him lick his lips. Automatically I returned it, scowling as I realised what I'd done, and he tugged me against him again as Nick backed up against the wall again. "Stop it..."

"No, that's my line. Stop it!" He pretended to be shy, eyes dropping, as one of his hands moved down my back and to the back of my leg, a thrill running through me as his hands traced along the sensitive skin there, guiding my knee against his crotch. "I'm _very_ shy. Oh, how naughty."

"I can tell." I said dryly, but I laughed anyway, a soft laugh I couldn't resist, as he batted his eyelashes, trying to look bashful and bat his eyelashes at the same time in the dim light. Bashful on Nick didn't work. I pulled myself free as best I could, Nick's hands letting me go, stepping back with the support of the wall. My legs were shaking, barely able to keep me up now, the urge to kiss him silly rising. Sweat was beading off his skin in the humidity of the night, the candle against one wall just making it glisten more, and I remembered how it tasted. Eyes tracing his chest, his nipples, knowing how he loved it when I … and there, that spot on his neck, how sensitive it was to a nail... and that spot just under his ear... and his lips. His lips, as he licked them, and his _tongue_.

I tore my eyes off his lips, off his face, his chest, his neck, all those places that I loved to taste, tried to forget the taste of his sweat. The urge to lick him, to run my tongue along his collarbone, the saltiness filling my nose and taste... I shuddered, fixing my attention on the window instead. "Remember, I'm sick. Stop teasing me."

"You're smelling less sick all the time." Nick replied as he stood up straighter. Unbuttoned the button on his jeans. "You're teasing me with that look you just gave me. I think you _like_ seducing me."

I slid back, heading for the kitchen, picturing a glass of water on him. That might cool him down.

"Hard to get again?" He called, striding after me. Nick could have easily caught up with me, I couldn't move very fast, but he moved a fraction slower than me. I made it to the kitchen and tried to get water into a jug as I felt arms close around me from behind. "Got you again. That's it. Always be catchable."

"If I was full strength right now..."

"Oh!" He did that absurd sound again, that shocked high pitched sound, as his hips ground against my behind. "What would you do, seducer? Would you spank me?"

"Kick you is more like it." I muttered, glancing over my shoulder at him, a little taken back by this. He'd been behaving odd with me since he lost his memory but this... this was almost 'old Nick' all over again. He winked at me as his hands slid into the pockets of my jeans, making me inhale slowly, dampness between my legs telling me that I was enjoying this, my body throbbing gently against the hardness that kept getting that spot dead on every time. His hands grasping my lower stomach and pushing it back against his hips.

"Grinding me now. Very naughty." He added. "The smell you're giving off?" A low growl, deep in Nick's chest, as he inhaled slowly, pressing up harder for a moment, another rush of arousal throughout my body at the sound. "Keep that up and I might _have_ to seduce you."

I splashed the water in his face.

Nick just stood there, grinning, slowly rubbing the water into his hair, clearly undisturbed by this. If anything he seemed to enjoy it and I had to admit, in the dim light of the candle, the water dripping off his curls, his face, along the defined muscles in his shoulders, arms and chest, it did look good. I just wanted to lick it off, tease him, make him moan, beg for me to …

Cool down. Cool the bloody hell down. I dragged my eyes off him, back to the sink, trembling a little. No licking and begging till he remembered me.

"Wet t-shirt gone wrong? Let me help." He offered. I felt something cold suddenly, a glass I hadn't seen him pick up, as he tipped water down my back, my front, pulling my hips back against him as the water soaked me from neck downwards. It didn't stop the heat building between my legs at all. If anything, it added to it, the wet top clinging to my chest and the stiffness under the fabric there. "I'm almost seduced. Almost."

"Almost?" He felt 'seduced' to me. I shivered as his hands pressed against my hips again through the jean pocket, pulling our hips together as he ground up, lips teasing the back of my neck. The sensitive spot that always got to me. One hand released my hips to trace up my wet stomach, under my shirt, fingers teasing the nipple there. I shut my eyes, the pleasure of that simple contact weakening my legs further, till I was only standing because of his hips under mine."What did I forget?"

"The l word."

"Love?"

He growled softly as his other hand slid out, only to pick me up, bending me over the sink, his body sliding between my legs. "Lust."

"Oh screw you." I muttered, trying to push him back. He laughed, letting me get down, but turned me around when my feet were on the ground.

"Of course I meant love." Nick tipped my chin up, stroking my face with one hand, the other holding me steady. The grin faded as he gazed down at me, his breathing fast, the smell of his own arousal filling my nostrils. More than that though. "I love you. I don't know you yet and I know that. Stop looking so upset all the time."

"You don't even remember me."

"I remember a few things." He lifted me up onto the bench nearby, hands tracing down my wet sides, down my stomach to where the few stretch marks had faded into a silver line. "Still got your stripes."

"What do you remember?" I pushed at him, annoyed when he said that, wondering when the hell he'd remembered.

"A boat tour. Painting. Hunting fireflies. You turning up to work just to give me lunch. Clayton beating you up. Your first time." Nick's face darkened, just a moment, before he grinned again, as if he couldn't quite handle that topic. "All shy and and pathetic at seducing m-" He yelped as I hit him hard "Hey! You were cute."

"That's not enough."

"You looked like a monster with a baby hanging half out of here." Even as he said it, he seemed to be surprised by his own words, his face paling as if the memory had only come then. Nick grabbed for between my legs, playfully, his fingers digging against the sensitive nub's exact location, pressing his palm against it as his eyes stayed fixed in mine. "Feels much better now. Like it's happy again." He dug his fingers in lower down, tracing the shape, my thighs squeezing around his hand. The warmth that had started to build during his little game suddenly flooded me, faster, responding to his smell and his touch quicker than I could accept him.

I tried to resist him. Tried to. I bit my lip as he dig in deeper, trying to get the words out. Or was I trying to keep them in?

"You slapped Clayton." He added, refusing to take his hand away, the other one reaching up to cup my face.

"Surely I'm not the first to do that."

"You might not be." Nick cocked his head to the side, thinking. "But he might not have told me if someone else did. They're probably dead."

I stared up at him as he grinned at me, head hovering close to mine as he stood there hesitating, ready to duck back if I hit him again.

"You really remember?"

"More and more." He pointed at a scar. "I took a bullet for you. Got shot here. Here's where I got shot as a teenager. This. I did this to you." A finger traced down one arm, a scratch mark he'd caused once that was a bit too deep. "We had to wake Jeremy to stitch it. You must be good in bed."

I hit him again then, nearly falling as he jumped back, arms catching me as I fell forward. Nick laughed, lifting me up, carrying me and dropping me on the bed. I played dirty then, going limp, pretending to pass out.

I felt him shift, suddenly, his heart rate increase, prodding me. Tickling me. Heart rate increased. A shake.

"Liz?"

Another shake. He bit me, nipped, my heart slowing as I controlled my breathing to a slow pace.

I heard his lungs deepen, as if he was about to call for Jeremy, and pounced, pushing him onto his back with as much of my strength as I could muster, which was more effective with him reaching panic mode again. He hadn't been expecting me to barrel into his stomach.

He growled as I nipped him, hands closing over me, his heart racing against his ribcage. "You scared me. Don't do that."

"You really remember me?"

"Like I said. More and more, and it's enough for me to accept it..." He shifted back, that same darkening in his eyes, almost like fear. Deep deep fear. I could almost see the wolf there, behind his eyes, the instinct that screamed at him to protect his mate. "It hurt my head. I don't know your memories yet but I know you. I... Liz, stay home. Have more of my babies. Hypnotise people till they're crying and hugging each other. Train with Clayton till you can break a man's arm with a finger. I don't care, just don't get hurt again." He shuddered, sliding down so his head was on my stomach, a hand tracing down the bandages on my arm.

"Offering me more babies?" I prodded him. "You must have been scared. How did you hit your head?"

Nick blinked up at me as I slid my legs across him, straddling him, his hands relaxing on my thighs. "I hit it-" He hesitated, a sheepish smile on his face. "-I can't remember that. I suspect it has something to do with trying to swim in and rescue you."

"You tried to rescue me?"

"You were in trouble." He stroked my legs slowly. "I tried to grab you and you slipped away. You seem to get hurt too much for my poor heart. Then... I'm on a beach and I'm thirty again."

"You're not thirty."

"I am. Don't remember everything yet so I'm thirty. I wonder how my dad looks?" He grinned, rolling me onto my back, careful with me as he inhaled slowly. Nick was clearly glad to change the subject to something a little less panic ridden for him."You smell healthier. That shit's not in your blood any more."

"So I died?"

Nick opened his mouth, nodded, then shut it. He relaxed himself on top of me, resting between my legs, tugging a pillow under my head. I slid the blanket over the top of us, the storm screaming outside. He didn't seem able to answer, just rested his head against my chest, nuzzling into the softness there.

"I don't remember it." I added.

"Good. Stop thinking about it then." Nick muttered. "Think about me. Thirty years old."

"In the nineties. Escaping the eighties." I added, as I stroked his hair. "Did you wear leg warmers?"

"I didn't wear leg warmers." He grinned. "I wore ripped jeans. Leather. Big hair. Bold colors."

"Sounds awful." I muttered, teasing his curls.

"Hey, I'm sexy." Nick lifted his head, sliding up to nip at my lower lip, his body pressing against mine. "Girls love me."

"Uh huh. Did you wear the make up too?" I inhaled when one of his hands slid into my top, pressing up to cup me, his thumb brushing across my sensitive skin.

"Of course. I could show you." Nick shifted up onto his knees, his eyes in mine as he undid his pants, sliding them down his hips. I watched him, watched him without shame, shifting up slowly onto my weak arms so I could see better. He slid off the sofa, grabbing candles, lighting a couple, and headed to get something out of his bag as I watched him. "You going to get undressed now or do I tear it off?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea. What if Jeremy hears us?" There. I'd given into it, into him, even without all his memories back. I couldn't help it, I loved him, and I wanted to believe that he wasn't lying to me.

Nick glanced at the door Jeremy and Jamie had vanished through. The screaming wind outside, the sound of trees banging on the windows and doors and walls, it was so much that I could barely hear Nick. "I think Jeremy could run around us in circles naked and we'd never hear him."

That gave me an image. I laughed softly, cheeks reddening at picturing the ex-alpha like that, wondering what he'd be like in bed. Maybe... I didn't want to know. It was an amusing thought though. I wondered if he'd be as controlled and calm in bed as he was normally.

Nick tugged off my jeans, his actions sudden, making me jump. He raised an eyebrow at me. "What are you picturing?"

"Jeremy in bed. What if he comes in?"

"Then let him enjoy the show. Old man might learn something." He grinned wide.

"What if-"

Nick pounced on me, the sofa groaning under us, kissing me so hard the question was lost in my head. Hands grasped my top, ripping it open again, his naked body straining to get inside mine through the last traces of fabric.

"I want to see what you wore in the eighties and nineties." I tried to distract him, tried to, though it didn't work.

"I'm all seduced. Save that for another time" Nick's mouth teased my ear, the edge of it, nibbling it, flicking his tongue against the edge. "Don't make me wait."

"Nick?"

"Mmm?" He tugged my top off, throwing it to one side, tearing the panties off with it. When my eyes darted to Jeremy's door, Nick rolled his eyes, and tugged the blanket over the two of us, creating a cave. "Ignore the door."

"I love you."

Nick froze, gazing up at me, and slid up, pushing himself into me. I shut my eyes, breathing out slowly, hips tipping up for him. It'd been weeks, with toddlers screaming, and we had needed this. Needed a honeymoon together. It almost hurt, almost, but the 'thank the heavens and scream for joy' kind, and I could see on his face the same expression as he inched slowly inside me, too slow, my aching body trying to make him go faster by pushing hips up. When our bodies bumped against each other, his hips pinning mine down against the sofa, we shared the same feeling, both breathing out, our hearts hammering hard. Relief.

"God, I missed you." Nick muttered. "So much."

"I missed you too."

We took longer than usual, growling and rolling, falling off the sofa at one point, that not seeming to stop or disturb us, arms and legs wrapped around each other, till I ended up on top of him on the floor, Nick's hands helping my weakened body move against him, his eyes drinking in the sight of me on top of him, the friction and heat and wetness incredible, then I was rolled over again, his body fast now, our breathing uneven as he gave up trying to take his time.

I groaned as the release flooded me, muscles going limp as it flooded me from head to foot, feet curling. Nick took one look at me and he groaned, stiffening, his own release making him collapse too. We lay there on the floor, breathing hard, sweat beading off us in the humid night, arms wrapped around each other.

Nick eventually helped me up, lifting me back onto the bed, flopping beside me, a leg brushing against mine as he slid close against me, throwing the sheet over us, Nick's forehead coming to find mine.

"Should we dress again?" I asked, voice soft, eyes shut. I didn't want to move. I wanted to enjoy the feelings still fading in my body.

"I'll dress you. Just relax." He replied, sliding up to kiss me, then got up and rummaged through the bags. Nick slid back onto the bed, running his hands up my legs as he pulled something up, sliding it there. I sat up as he pulled something down over my head. Strapless dress? I didn't pack that. "Like it?"

"I didn't pack this." It was at least long, going to my knees, but I raised my eyebrow at him.

"It's there. So wear it." He grinned. Slid back down, pulling me against him, the two of us breathing out slowly. "You and I are getting an eighties night." Nick muttered, sleepy now, his breathing slowing. "I want to show you."

"If you wear make up, I'm in."

We fell asleep together, hands threaded, my leg over his leg.

A laugh woke us, Jamie's arms crossed as she stared at us, Jeremy behind her. Early morning light filtered through one of the windows, the candles had melted down, the wind quieter. I raised my head, blinking, cheeks going red.

"Told you." Jeremy slid past her for the kitchen. "Leave them alone for a few hours and they'll make up." A few seconds, then his voice from the kitchen, "Why's there water all over the floor?"

"And..." Jamie lifted up my ripped top. "Clothing everywhere?"

"Sor-" I felt Nick's hand cover my mouth. When he was sure I wasn't going to finish the word he let it go.

He shifted up on one elbow, running his other hand through his curls, yawning. "Our honeymoon, remember? I had to get to know my wife all over again."

"It's cut short. We'll have to return home." Jeremy called. "Storm damage. The helicopter's coming to pick us up. You'll have to try again next time."

"Aww. We can handle it." Nick frowned, sitting up, the sheet over his lap. I saw he was naked under it and hit him.

"I told you to get dressed." I muttered. Jamie's eyes flew to Nick, her cheeks going just the slightest bit warmer, Jeremy reappearing.

Now that I looked at him, though, he looked about as satisfied as Nick did. There were marks on his bare chest, something suspiciously like love bites, bruises, a scratch down one arm. I snorted and he raised an eyebrow at me, crossing his arms. I diverted my eyes to Jamie, who was wearing a singlet top, and saw similar damage. No love bites... but red marks that looked like hickeys. Another snort as she flushed and raised her chin a bit in defiance.

I guess he _did_ get a bit carried away in bed.

Nick twitched, suddenly, as his eyes traced over my hand. He paled, got up, wrapping the sheet around him as he started to search. He was probably looking for the broken rings.

"Jeremy rescued them." I told him as he glanced up. "You broke them."

"Didn't mean to." He looked a bit sheepish. "I'll get them fixed. Give you a bigger diamond."

"It was fine the way it was." I shrugged a little. Honestly, as much as those rings mattered, Nick's memory mattered much more to me. Even if he had crushed them. "Don't worry about it."

"The helicopter's coming in half an hour." Jeremy went back for the kitchen. "I'll get breakfast, you two get dressed and packed."

We got dressed as fast as we could, ducking into the bedroom, but it got slowed down as Nick twisted in the mirror, staring at scars, asking me what, where or when he'd gotten them. Then he turned me around and did the same thing. It reminded me that he didn't remember everything yet, he still had giant gaps, but ...he hadn't rejected me the next morning. That was a good start.

We heard the helicopter and hurried. Jeremy and Jamie had given up waiting for us and had dumped the stuff into bags themselves. The helicopter lowered in a clear patch a little walk away, the storm now just rain and wind, settling itself down.

It was time to go.


	2. Closer

We tried to get back to a normal life. Tried to. Nick's memory, after he'd ht his head, hadn't really returned much and for him, a 'normal life' was different, and however much I wanted him to be back to his old self, he couldn't seem to let go of that. He didn't know Forestwatch and didn't feel much connection with it. Nick preferred New York. Matt wanted to stay in Forestwatch or Stonehaven, he was having the time of his life on summer holidays, so we agreed to leave him for a week with Elena while we went into the city to wait for Ana to show up.

It'd made it hard- he didn't know how to change nappies, struggled with the triplets, and with feeding. We'd eventually ended up staying in the apartment in New York. Antonio helped me out, working from home a little longer, as Nick spent more time out and about rediscovering his city. I didn't like it much, I had to admit, I felt a bit jealous as he went out to bars and nightclubs. The only reassurance I had about it was that, even if women had scents on him, he never slept with them or kissed them. This was just something I had to deal with while he recovered.

Antonio wasn't pleased by that either. But Nick's memory remained fixed on thirty, even if his body didn't, like he didn't want to give this up.

But he tried. He played with the kids, adored them, and always came home, rolling into bed on top of me, Nick's adrenaline saved all night for one person only. This part of it I never minded, the thrill of that sudden waking, lips pressing hard on mine in the darkness, clothes being slid off even as he tried to tease me, the swell of sweat and other women ignored and forgotten as I reclaimed him over and over. Keeping quiet was a problem- all three toddlers slept in the room with us- but maybe they didn't mind. They never seemed to wake, in fact, they were more likely to wake during the night if Nick wasn't around.

Another night, the night before Ana flew in, and it ended up being myself and Antonio in the spare room, making the two single beds with fresh sheets, his annoyance with Nick reaching an all time high. Nick hadn't wanted to work either, which was a problem when he had a job in Antonio's company, and I'd ended up trying to fill in for him from home. With triplets. It didn't work.

"Sorry." Antonio muttered as he caught me staring at the clock, one in the morning, the two of us exhausted and flopped on the couch. Bedroom ready here for her, food pre-cooked for tomorrow as I'd be too busy to do it, and Nick still out somewhere. "He tended to be a little less ..."

"I know. He wasn't responsible anyway." I shrugged it off, yawning, flopping onto a cushion there. He tended to get this way anyway, with money, with food, with spoiling us, and I was too tired to care anyway. "Not your fault."

"He'll have to go back to Forestwatch in a few days for the triplet's birthday. I'll tie him up if he doesn't go." Antonio smiled somewhat, rubbing his forehead. "My son isn't missing his kid's second birthday."

"I'll hold you to that. I don't have a party planned."

"We do. Jungle themed." Antonio reassured me. "The sad thing is, I was just as bad as he was when I had him at that age. Now I can't stop thinking ...how idiotic he's being. And he's doing exactly what I used to do. Run out, be reckless, forget that he's got kids to care for."

"You were?" I opened my eyes to gaze at the older man. "You treat the triplets like an expert."

"It's different being the grandparent." He replied. Tugged one of my feet up, throwing the shoe over, rubbing my feet. Another intimate thing that humans might have found odd, maybe, but for us ...it was normal. A relief for me too. "I was just a single father then with a little kid I had no idea how to raise, my freedom gone before I was twenty, and I had to lea-" He cut off, lips tightening slightly, eyes drifting away from me. "It wasn't easy doing it alone. I just wanted to... do what Nick's doing. Ignore him. He reminded me of his mother too much."

"Did you hire a nanny?"

Antonio shook his head. "We were in our family home. No humans allowed. It was all pack raising him."

"Bunch of men raising a toddler. Sounds like something you'd hear in a Hollywood film." I muttered and I felt him relax at that.

"My own father, if he could see Nick, would be amused. I probably caused him the same stress as Nick's causing me now." Antonio stopped rubbing my sore feet, standing up, stretching. He came across, bending down to kiss my forehead affectionately, and yawned. "I'm going to sleep."

"I'll see you tomorrow. Night."

I woke myself, still on the couch, when I felt arms lifting me up, Nick's scent and some kind of alcohol filling my nostrils.

"Sleeping out here?" He asked, softly. I nuzzled into his neck, yawning, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Should be in bed."

"Welcome home. Where'd you go this time?"

Nick told me as he lowered me into bed, tugging my clothing off, shrugging his own off. We were both too exhausted to try it tonight, he seemed to be struggling to stay awake as much as I was, a lazy grin on his face. He was in a good mood tonight.

I tried to ignore the fear in me, in the pit of my stomach, that maybe he'd …

But he wouldn't.

Would he?

Of course not. I shoved it down, snuggling against him, ignoring the smell of several women against him. Dancing wasn't sex. I had to calm down.

Fingers looped through mine, squeezing my hand, as I heard him murmur 'I love you', sleep taking us both.

Still, as I fell asleep, I felt something there. Discontent. Jealousy. Worry. Nick had resumed a part of his life and left me out of it.

We sat side by side in the JFK airport, watching luggage circle around, waiting patiently for the teenage Ana to come off and meet us at the agreed spot near the baggage collection.

I saw someone else first though. I stood up, blinking, not really believing what I was seeing.

Ray?

"Ah, my Australian Rose. You did not call me." Ray captured me in a hug and a very friendly kiss, perhaps a bit too much of one, because his eyes went over me to Nick. I didn't have to look back to know that Nick had probably stiffened at this. "Is this your-"

"Mate." Nick said. He tried to smile and polite when I glanced back. "I mean, husband. Nick. Nice to meet you." He held out his hand.

"I met Ray in Rio. Sorry..." I turned to Ray, scratching my head, feeling a bit sheepish. "I got a bit sick and had to leave quickly. It's a nice surprise to see you."

"I heard Ana was coming up here and thought I would come. See New York. Have a little fun. With, of course, the permission of your alpha. He approved New York." He was shaking Nick's hand before he stepped back.

"Not many mutts are allowed." Nick muttered. "And it's a she now. Elena."

"Really? I will ask your new alpha."

"Ray's not like American mutts. He's a little different." I explained softly to Nick. "Where's Ana?"

"Toilet. She comes soon." Ray shrugged and gestured to the purple bag over one shoulder. "So what do I call you, Rose?"

"Anne. Sorry about lying about my name, I had to be careful."

"With good reason." He nodded. Ray stepped closer to touch my hair, fingering the dark red-blonde, and I remembered it'd been some fake blonde last time. Hair dye had fixed that problem at first and now it was more or less grown back. "Rose suits you better. Still fragrant, thorns hidden, and your hair suits you now. Let me see you."

He stood back, eyes going up and down my body, clearly not hiding his approval. It amused me. But only for a moment, when I felt Nick's body tense against my arm, his lack of memory starting to bother him worse than usual.

"How did you two meet?" Nick spoke up, eyes going from me to Ray, sharper now that Ray had touched me.

"Is that her bag? Want me to carry it?" I could see it in his face, the jealousy there, not so much suspicion of me but the 'trespass of wolf territory' expression starting to build.

Ray handed me the purple bag. "In Rio. Upstairs. A misunderstanding that brought us together, yes?" He grinned at me, perfect white teeth, reminding me of how I'd met him. Being groped by him downstairs in the bar and him thinking that me running for upstairs was actually 'Come and get me'. Guess that might have been my mistake as much as his. "She has a nice-"

Luckily Ana appeared at that point. I gawked her as she jogged towards us. The chances the two years had made showing. She didn't have the remains of a 'cat shape' to her head anymore, something humans might have called deformed, nose become human, the markings gone, though she still reminded me of a cat somehow, maybe it was her long limbs or the incredible grace she had even as she was jogging with a clunky suitcase behind her. She took a moment to find Ray in the crowd as she froze, dark eyes sliding across the room, before she caught sight of us.

"Hi!" Ana closed the last few metres fast, dodging around other people, and skidded up. "You have different hair."

"So do you." I stared at her gorgeous hair. Last time I'd seen it, it'd been sleek, straight, long. Now it was an incredible halo of thick dark brown curls inches and twisted back as much as Ana could manage into a ponytail.

"I stopped using hair straightener." She explained as she touched it. Ana may have lived in a small village in Brazil, sure, but that hadn't meant she was in a third world village. She'd had internet, phones and apparently even a hair straightener. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful like that. Right, have we got everything?"

We headed outside to the taxi and piled in, suitcases in the back, everyone in the front, allowing Ana the front seat so that he could see New York. This meant that Ray was squeezed in beside me, Nick on the other side, a slightly awkward arrangement all the way into the city. Nick only relaxed when Ray was dropped off, and then only briefly, because I agreed to go out with Ray and 'show him the city'. With Nick, I added, as Nick nudged me from the side, as I wrote down my number for Ray. He was the expert. I didn't know the city very well.

"Of course." Ray leaned down to kiss me again, twice on the cheeks and once on the lips, before he dropped some notes in for his share of the fare. "I have your number." He shut the door, waved, and headed into the hotel.

"Yes you do." Nick muttered. He shot me a look which I ignored.

We headed back to Nick's apartment, slid out, and helped Ana with her stuff. She was too busy gawking at the city to really pay attention to us, and this got worse when we got to the apartment and Ana could see out of it.

"It's amazing!" She was sliding her camera phone out and was taking photos. "Where do I sleep?"

We showed her, the spare room not yet converted for kids, but it now had two single beds instead of one big bed. Matt came here occasionally with me and when he did, he preferred it if I slept in the room with him. He might have recovered from his bite but he still viewed the world in the way a young wolf would. Having a familiar person nearby made it easier for him to relax. I suspected he'd almost have wished all of us slept in there, Nick and Antonio too, but he was content with me. That would have to change when he was older.

"We'll be staying in New York for a few more days." I let her know as she stared out her giant window. "So we can show you around. But we've got to head back for the triplet's birthday."

She nodded and continued to take photos. Then, at the sound of high pitched laughter nearby, Ana's head shot up. "Are they here?"

I nodded and led her into our room. Antonio was sitting there, trying to keep all three occupied, smiling a greeting at us as we came in.

"This is Ana. Ana, this is Antonio, their grandfather. My father in law."

While Ana and Nick played with the toddlers, I headed into the kitchen with Antonio, trying to help him get dinner out for everyone. This was why I'd precooked last night. As I was getting it heated up I got a text from Ray. He apparently wanted to go out that night and wanted me to take him somewhere.

"We've got another mutt in town." I told Antonio as we threw the big baking dish in the oven, dropped some veges onto a tray above it, and shut it.

"Oh? Do you know who it is?"

"Ray, from Brazil. The one that helped us out a little." I slid back. "He'll ask Elena for permission to stay for a holiday. He's trying to get me to go out tonight but-"

"Can't hurt. Nick can take you two out. Ana will be exhausted and the triplets will be asleep." Antonio added, as I tried to argue, "And you're always watching him go out without you. So go with him for once."

"Go where?" Nick asked as he came in, one baby in arms, the other two following Ana as she came in after him. He nuzzled against Lily, affectionate, a sight that made my heart warm a little, her tiny pigtails re-done. Probably by Nick.

"You're going to take Ray out tonight." Antonio told him.

"Can I come?" Ana asked, sitting at the bench, yawning even as she said it.

"Sorry, not to a bar." I replied and she frowned, but just for a moment, her eyes going to Antonio.

"Can we order pizza tonight then? I see it in movies all the time."

"Anne cooked." Antonio shook his head, but I took one look at her, the disappointment there...

"It's not even warm yet. Just throw it back in the fridge and let the veges cook. We'll get pizza." I wasn't sure if she'd stay awake long enough to wait, she kept yawning, but it seemed like a good idea. I hadn't had pizza for ages either. "You guys order it and I'll let Ray know we're going. Where do you want to meet him, Nick?"

Nick frowned at me, crossing his arms. "Who said I wanted to take him anywhere?"

"I did." Antonio spoke up. "Anne's going too."

Nick did not like that. He glanced from me to his dad, slightly accusing, as if he had decided we were working together in some devious plot. "I'll pick him up outside the hotel. At ten."

"Okay. I'll let him know."

"Do you have to come?" Nick's words made me freeze. He was still frowning at me, arms crossed. "It would be better if you stayed here."

"She's going with you for once." The warning from Antonio was there, even with a light voice, the older man fixing his son with a hard look. "Go ahead and let him know, Anne, we'll get the pizzas and get these three fed before they start gnawing on us."

The taxi ride was quiet, Nick wasn't looking at me, his arms crossed. He was annoyed. I could tell, I knew he was, but everytime I tried to talk to him, he ignored me. He'd dressed in his usual latest fashion, not answered when I asked him what I should wear, and I'd given up. A thin white dress with thin straps, high black boy shorts underneath, because I felt odd without it, black heels. Hair loose. He'd actually had the balls to tell me it was _too short_. It came mid thigh! The shorts were apparently too high cut. I'd actually yanked them up higher my legs when he said that, challenging him as I did it, eyes fixed in his.

It hurt. Ray's appearance just made Nick even crankier, not looking at me or Ray, his arms crossing tighter.

"Ready to dance, Rose?" Ray called and I nodded, smiling a weak smile.

It wasn't hard to get in, Nick was fucking gorgeous, clearly known. Ray looked pretty good too, apparently, the girls in the line to get in were giving him those hungry looks I only associated with Nick. The second we got in and got a table, Nick was gone into the crowd, and I was left behind with Ray.

"You all right?" Ray hesitated before getting up, glancing at me as I sat there.

"Yes." I needed a drink. "Are you going to the bar?"

"I'll bring you a drink." Ray was gone before I could ask him for something else and I relaxed back, watching the dancers. It was nearly eleven now, the crowd thick, the scents and smells of humans, sweat, desire, alcohol, soft moans in corners... dim lighting...

And Nick's voice. Laughter. Feminine voices. My head twisted up, seeing him in the middle of the heated humans, already dancing with a woman, relaxed now. He avoided me, avoided my eyes, as she ground against him, the glint of sweat on both their brows. It was like a scene out of Dirty Dancing, with the music, it was like sex with clothing on.

No wonder why he always looked so damn satisfied when he was done.

Maybe I was overreacting, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it bothered me. I narrowed my eyes, taking the alcohol as Ray brought it over, already knowing that this night was going to go badly. It was already bad enough for me to ignore the pretty cocktail. Did she have to … and he …

"Let's dance." I stood, swallowing it fast, grabbing the older man and dragging Ray out. "I don't know how but..."

"Just trust me. " Ray promised. He glanced at Nick, raising an eyebrow as my 'mate' danced with another woman, understanding dawning in his face. "I know. You are not interested but … Jealous, yes?"

I nodded. Inhaled sharply as one of the woman's nails traced across Nick's face. "Is it obvious?"

"Come on." He grabbed me, and I let the Brazilian invade a close space usually reserved for one person only, ignored the humans pressing in on all sides, the pounding music filling my head and body.

"Relax your legs and spine. Trust me." Ray pressed his lips against my neck, teasing me, his strange smell and warmth bizarre after only being this close to Nick. When my head turned in Nick's direction, I felt Ray's hand turn it back to me. "Ignore him. Eyes in mine. You look amazing. Other men will notice."

I met Ray's eyes, dark in the flashing lights, his tanned skin and dark hair glistening in the light, and trusted him. Maybe it was an act of desperation, I didn't know, maybe the alcohol. I suddenly wanted to learn how to dance properly. Hips, move hips, shoulders back a little more, my body fully recovered from pregnancy and toned from training with Clayton, far more curvy than most of the women there. Apparently, according to Ray, this was an advantage in a place like this with leggy underweight girls, because I looked like a female, and I'd feel hands brushing across a hip, or an arm, or even across my behind... a natural, apparently, a natural dancer. I just ...had more things to wriggle.

Nick had noticed. And it hadn't changed a thing. He was popular here, the women knew and loved him, and I'd see him head in my direction, only to be yanked away by a different woman. Some of them I knew by their smells, I'd smelt them on him before, but I barely had time to think about it.

I did what he said, as he whispered it in my head, dancing with him in the beat, getting lost in it. There was something about dancing, something I'd never realised existed, the sound of heartbeats around us, blood pumping, the scent of desire and arousal, some of it even directed at me. Me! I could feel eyes, the occasional attempt to peel me away from Ray, even as we went to the bar for more drinks, and after an hour of dancing, drinking shots, heads fuzzy with alcohol, we decided it was time for me to go to the next 'offer'.

"Don't let them bring you drinks." Ray told me, between hard breathing, his body sweating. "Buy your own. Some men here are not safe."

The next offer was another man, probably attractive too, this one more hands on than Ray had been. Human. Ray clearly had been careful, not too touchy, avoiding as much conflict with Nick as he could. This man didn't know. Another time, when I was more sober, I might have ...I didn't know, hit him, as knees found places, hands brushed across places, lips whispering things. This seemed to happen with most of the dancers, even if I didn't return the words or caresses, finding that it wasn't just werewolves that enjoyed it when a woman played 'cold'.

Nick vanished for a while, I knew it, gone. Fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes. I drank. I couldn't dance. When he reappeared, I was thoughtly drunk, struggling to stay upright, though it wasn't something that mattered much with men who gladly led.

Ray had moved off, popular, his accent and his dancing stealing dancers, a charming grin, much more direct caresses, paying for alcohol... I watched him, when he passed by, winking at me as he had a blonde, or a brunette, or a red head at one point. He had standards though, he avoided the women who were too drunk, always making sure a woman saw the drink poured as he paid for it, a gentleman. And they loved it. Drinks continued to be bought, I bought them for myself now, getting too drunk to care about the pretty shots.

I felt another body press up against me from behind, another dancer stealing me, turning around. I'd half hoped it was Nick but I knew it wasn't. Another man, blonde, a human version of Clayton. Urgh. I could smell the dye in his hair as he ground against me, did what I was told to do during dancing, his hands running along my backside as he tugged a leg up around his hips.

Nick was nearby, I could smell him, catching a glimpse of him between two women, his hands on them, teasing their skin with his lips, eyes drifting up and catching me. He seemed to get me at that exact moment, a leg around another man's hips, being ground against, the man's hand running along my bare thigh... and something snapped in his face.

He grabbed me, yanking me out of the room, arm crushing my arm as he dragged me out, dragged me into the back of the room.

I yanked back, wrenching his hand off my arm, angry at him. So he was jealous. So what? He got to do this all the damn time. Every night he came home smelling like them. Jumping on top of me, getting out his frustration that he couldn't get satisfied here, then expecting me to be happy. Happy? Ha!

"Fuck off, Nick. Go back to your whores." I spat, turning on him, heading back into the crowd.

Nick grabbed me, dragging me against him, his breathing hard as his arms wrapped around me in the crowded floor, ignoring my resistance as he ground against me, clearly much less drunk than I was. More controlled.

"Let go."

"Dance with me." He growled. "Me. Not him. Not any of them."

"You're missed." I glanced at him, to the two women he'd been dancing against, now dancing against each other, one of them trying to pull him back into their middle. I wriggled free, sliding out, finding another man quite happy to take Nick's place. So it was irresponsible. Who cared anymore? I was done being responsible for one night. Always home, getting peed on by Dominic, or getting another lovely whiff of poo, while Nick was here.

Nick grabbed me again, the song Closer coming on, refusing to let go, his eyes locked in mine, lips against my skin, trying to kiss me. I rejected him, hurt, jealous of what he'd been doing with them, struggling to dance.

"_Turn the music up in here, I still hear her loud and clear, Like she's right there in my ear, Telling me that she wants to own me, To control me..."_

Funny, how when you were angry with each other, it made the dancing better. Harder. Rougher. Like we could push each other, bite each other, growl, shove, and we could take it. Humans had no clue. I heard him, his lips tracing the words of the song as we shoved and danced and ground, growling, unaware of any single other person in the room beside each other.

"_And I just can't pull my self away, Under her spell I can't break, I just can't stop." _

Nick's teeth dug in harder, as I tried to escape, arms closing around me, pulling my back against his front, growling and spinning me around again, our bodies grinding against each other.

"_I can feel her on my skin, I can taste her on my tongue, She's the sweetest taste of sin, The more I get the more I want, She wants to own me."_

"Closer." Nick kissed me then, hard, shoving me against a wall, hands sliding up my dress in the room, as the song finished.

I tasted it then. Someone else. Someone else there, in his mouth, a woman. Her mouth. Her scent. Her fluids. Against his mouth.

The world shattered then, I shattered, my world falling apart. I shoved at him hard.

"Go. Go with them then. You're not obligated to a wife you don't remember." I backed up, backed up fast, stumbling into the crowd, turning and leaving him there.

"I've created a monster." Ray's voice came from behind me, laughing as I turned to face him. "Enough dancing tonight. They won't forget you, Rose."

"I could keep going."

"If you do, I think your mate might loose his cool." He narrowed his eyes ovr my shoulder, pulling me backwards, a low growl coming from Nick. The girls laughed. "Enough. Go home. I'll take you to a taxi and then come back in."

"One last song." I wanted Nick to see it. See I could have a good time without him.

"One last song then." He agreed.

The two of us dancing, bare skin slipping against each other, my eyes shut, trying to ignore the sound of Nick with the women. We danced, pressed up against each other, avoiding the bumping humans, any sense of care how it looked to Nick gone now, I just wanted to dance. Drink. Enjoy myself. Ray was good, he didn't get too close like the human had, keeping a little distance, respecting space, knowing what our kind needed. No bad smells either. Just wolf and human scent. Different wolf scent, sure, he wasn't the kind of wolf I was...

I heard Nick leaving, his heart fading from my hearing, one of the girls vanishing. Heard her giggle. Heard Ray's sudden inhale, a growl from him now, as his body stiffened.

"What?"

"Nothing, Rose. Keep your eyes closed and enjoy the song."

I opened my eyes and saw it. Nick, against a wall, the girl pressed against him, the two of them kissing like they were starving, tongues down each other's throats. His eyes were shut, I could see him breathing hard, my heart shattering at the sight. He was letting them lead him away. Letting them take him into the women's bathroom.

I couldn't stay in the room when I saw that, I ducked under Ray's arm, grabbed one last drink from the bar, and went out for a taxi myself, throwing the glass at the wall as I pushed aside some other woman, getting inside, Ray chasing after me.

"Out." The driver ordered. "The other girl had it. Get out."

A security guard opened the door, frowning, and I slid out, trying to not cry. Or vomit. Both seemed like great ideas. Instead, I stumbled through the park, ignoring Ray's calls to come back and wait. No one was around in the middle of the park, just me, and I collapsed on the bench, dampness running down my face. It took a few minutes to know that it was tears and not sweat.

I wanted to go home. New York wasn't my place. Dancing was fun but …not like that. I felt sick, I wanted to vomit, and the sight of Nick kissing someone else...

Some part of me knew he did that, when he was out, I sometimes tasted it in his kisses. Sometimes. I just pretended it wasn't there.

"Hey, baby."

Some drunk idiot and his mates, finding me on the bench some hour later, clearly interested. I scowled at them, tugging my legs up against my chest, hugging my legs. Drunk idiots? I was drunk too. I knew it, I had been muttering to myself for an hour about Nick, holding in the urge to vomit.

"Why so sad? Want some company?"

I shook my head.

A body flopped beside me on either side, the two of them touching me, getting too close. I growled and they seemed to like that.

"Do that around this." One of them was unzipping his pants, tugging himself out, no flirting now, dearly serious. He tugged at me, trying to get my head to go down, the other one trying to pull my arms off my legs.

"I'll take care of you, baby, open them up."

_Humans_. I growled again, yanking my head away from the pulling head, easily overpowering him. He narrowed his eyes, trying to grab my head with both hands, the dizziness that came with being drunk making it difficult to focus.

"Suck it, bitch." The man snapped, as I again pulled my head easily out of his hands, the muscles in his arms straining. "Fuck, you're a strong one."

"I'm busy hating men. Fuck off." My voice slurred at them.

"Open your legs. We'll show you a good time." The other man stood up, trying to yank my legs open, hands running up and down my bare legs, finding a gap and pressing his hand against the shorts underneath. "What's with the shorts?"

I punched him then, hard, feeling a nose break under my fist, the drunk man falling onto his ass with a yell.

Something hard hit me from the side, the other man hitting me, and I turned on him as I stood up, stumbling a little, a hand hitting me hard across the face and knocking me off my feet too. Someone was on top of me, suddenly, yanking my legs open, struggling as I shoved him back off me, blood streaming onto the white dress. This would have been easy when I was sober. I wasn't sober. I struggled against them, shoving and punching, some sense to not bite still there, feeling bone break again at one point, some flesh tear when one of them tried to get himself in my mouth and I clawed at him, a scream of pain. Then feet, kicking at me, I curled up in a ball. Let them. Nick hurt more than anything the humans could do. It was almost a relief.

Suddenly the one kicking me was yanked back, thrown hard several metres away, a hand trying to uncurl me with strength that was not human.

"Nick?" My hopeful query was wrong. It wasn't Nick.

"Ray." Ray growled, his face white, yanking me up. "I don't like fights. Are you hurt?"

"I need to run."

My skin was already starting to prickle. Blood filled my nostrils, the men groaning, one of them yelling for help. 911.

"Can you hold it?"

I nodded and he grabbed my hand, yanking me through the park, getting a taxi. It reminded me of Nick, years ago, doing this same thing. Holding my hand. Getting me a taxi. Now he was ...I didn't know.

Fury and hurt burst again, tears starting, and I needed to vomit, pushing Ray away so I could stumble to a bin, tears and vomit, a hand tugging loose hair out of the way.

We stumbled into a taxi, Ray keeping his distance, hearing sirens. Ambulance? It sped past.

"Did I hurt them?" I asked, voice not working properly, trembling. I hoped I hurt them. Stupid humans. Waving their penises at me.

"You hurt them." Ray muttered. He was still white. "Poor humans. Might not be hitting on drunk women in the park for a while."

"I'm not drunk." I was drunk. I knew that. Drunk as a skunk and ready to claw more eyes out if I had to. "Nick doesn't want me."

"He wants you."

"He was with that woman. I should go back and... turn around, let's go hunt her down."

"Keep driving." Ray told the driver. Glanced at me. "We're going to the forest."

It was a nightmare drive, we had to stop several times so I could vomit, my body trembling as I had the sense to suppress the change. Finally we reached a place that was deserted enough, three in the morning, and I stumbled out, tugging clothing off as I ran, ignoring the man.

It didn't take long. I stumbled around on all fours, senses shot, the funny looking Brazilian maned wolf not far behind my speed in changing. He pushed me deeper into the forest and I stumbled through, nearly falling over, unable to vomit as a wolf. The urge to eat a lot of plant life and drink water consumed me though and I spent most of it running, eating whatever smelt good, throwing up water and grass and the crap in my stomach, body trembling with the effort.

Any desire to hunt my mate or that woman down was gone. I just felt sick. I curled up under a tree, whining, trembling, hurt. Ray sat on his haunches and kept watch as I sat there, the small funny looking wolf keeping an eye on me.

Then I started to run. I ran for home, ran as fast as I could, slipping away from Ray. I wanted to go home. To my home. I wanted to be near my pack. I hurt all over, instinct taking over, stumbling and running, ears down and tail between my legs.

It suddenly wasn't sense. No sense. It was hurt, and fear, rage, everything, and I pointed myself at Stonehaven and ran.

Go home.

_Where are you going?_

The voice came, boomed in my head, a sudden voice, Jeremy. Jeremy?

I was somewhere. I didn't know. I ran. Paws pounded the ground, ignored the cars, ignored the shouts, ignored the humans. I hurt, I bled, I was sick and I was going home.

_Home? Where are you?_

Going home.

I whined, as the voice kept echoing in my head, over and over. Where are you? Where are you?

I was going home.

So many roads. I kept crossing them. Daylight now, hurting my eyes, people seeing me. I had to run though.

_Where are you?_

Road, humans, run. Run. A shot. A shot at me? I yelped, ran faster, paws bleeding as they ran raw over the ground.

_Where are you? _

I saw Nick. Kissing her. Kissing her hard, like it was me, pressing against her

I ran harder, faster, another crack in the air, another thing flying over my head. Humans shouted. I heard feet chasing me.

More cracks. Something hit me then, hard, knocking the wind out of my chest. Pain flooded through me, I saw trees and headed for them, loosing the humans, limping as I ran. Forest. Safe forest. Trees, ground, grass. I could hide.

I curled up on my side, panting, dragging myself under something, a tree,hiding as the humans tried to find me. I curled tight around the sore spot, body shaking.

Home. I wanted to go home.

_Stay put. Don't move._

Jeremy's voice, strange voice to have right now, an order I couldn't refuse. I stayed put.

At some point I changed. I curled up, naked, aching from head to foot, trembling and throwing up. It was nothing compared to the hurt of seeing Nick do that, in front of me, even the hangover was easy compared to that. So he wanted to be thirty again. Wanted to dance, and flirt and... I'd accepted that.

It hurt that he didn't want to share that part of his life. Wanted to separate it. Them, his women, and me. The wife. The one he came to for sex and for comfort. Then back out. Into those arms. Those hips. Those bodies.

Maybe I should have worried about my babies. I didn't. I knew they were safe. I couldn't face Nick right now though, or Antonio, what would Nick tell him? About how I'd danced? But I hadn't ...meant it. I'd enjoyed dancing. I hadn't flirted, I'd flat out refused.

I slept, only waking to vomit, curled up against the rough bark of the tree, my arms wrapped around my legs again, the summer day hot enough to mean it didn't matter if I was naked or not.

Night came again, and I started to feel a little better, more concious, less knocked over. The headache remained though and my body ached like hell. I stood up as it got dark, legs shaking, sliding out. There were bruises all over me, boot prints, finger prints, some of the blood not mine, most of it was. Breathing was hard, but then so was everything else, and I ignored the wound on my side. Another scrape or cut or something. This was why I didn't get drunk usually.

I stumbled out of the forest, slowly, and straight into a city. A city? Had I run through it as a wolf? I stared at the bright lights in the darkness, exhausted, finding clothing on a line to pinch. Overalls? A tshirt? Not my style but hey, it was the first thing I'd found. It smelt like oil. Some mechanic's overalls, probably, his work clothes. Maybe he'd thank me for taking it- he couldn't work without it.

A quick call collect, a slow inhale as I heard the line picked up, and I sighed. Got ready to be blasted. "Elena?"

"Where are you?" She was loud, much too loud, and I whined, holding the phone further from my ear. "Nick's loosing his mind."

"He was with another woman."

A pause. Silence. Then, "Are you sure?"

"I saw him. Kissing her." A pain shot through my side as I jerked around, jeers from a bar nearby startling me. They weren't looking at me. "I don't want to see Nick."

"We won't send Nick. Where are you?"

"I don't know. There's a bar there." I read the name of it, then the street I was standing on. "Where are my babies?"

"On their way home now and very safe. I found the bar on the map."

"I need to go back into the forest. I..." I felt exposed, too open, panic as eyes saw me. "I need to hide."

"We'll follow you. Go hide."

I headed back into the forest, melting into the darkness, it a relief all of a sudden. I found the tree again, curled up inside it, shaking. It was a kiss, yes, but it was ...cheating. To me. But I hadn't behaved much better, had I? I hadn't pushed them away. I'd been too drunk to care. Now I did, I felt filthy, disgusting, pawed by half drunk men. All to get Nick jealous. I would have danced with him if he'd come over earlier, would have let him teach me, but he blocked me the second he was told to let me go with him.

It hurt. Everything hurt. I curled up tighter.

It was late when Clayton found me, his arms crossed, looking unimpressed and grumpy. Tired.

"So what ..." He took one look at me, swore, and picked me up. "What the hell have you been doing?"

"Running. Where's Nick?"

"Stonehaven. Cage. Antonio's orders."

"Why are you here?"

Clayton shrugged. We headed down, I made him put me down, stumbling alongside, keeping my arm tight against my side, still dizzy, cringing as the bright night lights hit my eyes. It was a while before I spoke, Clayton quiet beside me, my legs back up against my chest, pain or not at the closeness.

"I think Nick slept with them."

He stiffened, just slightly, glancing sideways at me.

"I told him to. He wanted to."

"He didn't sleep with them." Clayton muttered. "I checked."

"I tasted-"

"Exactly what you taste when you kiss a lesbian. Or, kiss someone who kissed a lesbian."

"He went back with them."

"He was upset. They were comforting him, apparently." Clayton didn't sound convinced. He glanced sideways at me. "What's that wound on you?"

I snorted. "I'm sure." Threesomes. "Nothing."

"Next time he plays up, call me or Antonio, and don't run off. We heard reports of a big dog getting shot around here. Some drunk men in central park badly injured."

"How badly?" I blinked, shifting up, remembering that.

"Badly. I'm not saying they didn't deserve it but-" He glanced sideways at me. "But you were drunk. You didn't control it."

"I know. I didn't bite them, did I?" I couldn't remember and the thought suddenly scared me, making me sit up a bit straighter.

"No."

I sighed with relief at that, relaxed back, cringing.

"I'm not going to train you if you loose control and can't use it. Drunk or not." Clayton's voice was cold, no sympathy, just clear annoyance. He wasn't happy having to come out here and pick me up. "You could have killed one of them. Could have been killed yourself. Could have exposed us. What you did was fucking stupid and irresponsible. Elena's going to have to punish you." His words cut deep, hurt my head, and the worst part was I knew he was right. I'd been behaving stupidly. "I never thought you'd behave like that."

"What about Nick?"

"Like I said. He's in the cage and dealing with his father." Clayton went quiet, hands tight on the wheel, face tense. After a while though he relaxed and leaned over to yank the overalls off one shoulder. "Show me the wound."

I lowered it. He pulled over, flipping the light on, inhaling slowly at the sight of me in light.

"They got some good kicks." He touched the swollen skin on my face, arms, side, I cringed as he found a particularly sore spot in the ribs.

"I was drunk."

"So I keep hearing. Where's the wound?"

I lifted my arm, tugging my tshirt off the long wound across my side. He blinked at it, then me, another swear, as he slid closer.

"What the hell? Why didn't you tell me you'd been shot?"

"I was shot?"

Clayton shook his head at me, made me lean forward, then back. "Can't you smell the gunpowder?"

"No." Is that what it was? My nose was full of dried blood.

"Just missed you. Damn lucky. You're good with luck. Bites, guns..." Clayton reached behind us, tugging out a first aid kit, pressing some fabric against it. It wasn't bleeding but his 'not impressed' look increased. "Blind stupid luck."

We headed on once he was satisfied that was it, Clayton shaking his head, refusing to look at me.

"Are they home now?"

"Your babies? Ana? Safe and sound."

I relaxed then, shutting my eyes, trying to picture them.

"What if I'm wrong to hang onto him? If he wants that life?"

"Nick's not thirty and he needs to know how to treat a mate. You'll just have to be patient."

"While he sleeps with others? What if Elena-"

Clayton growled. "I know."

"I don't know what to do."

"I can't tell you what to do." He glanced at me, as he drove, angry. Then Clayton relaxed as his eyes met mine. "Just remember he's yours."

I didn't answer.

It took some hours to get back and when we got there, Jeremy had me strip off, cleaned the wound, and made me drink several litres of water over a few hours, gave me asprin for the headache, refusing to let me go to bed. Nick was apparently at Stonehaven and the triplets locked in there with him, according to Jeremy, Nick was now on 'solo triplet duty' after avoiding it by going out late night after night. He was on 'triplet duty at night' for a month. I'd be given nights off and spend the day at Stonehaven.

"What's my punishment?"

"No time alone with Nick for a month at night. Phone calls only. That reminds me." Jeremy went to the study and brought back the bag I'd left with Ray. "Ray brought this. He's staying as a guest in town."

"I-" I wasn't sure if I was upset by that or not. I stopped talking as Jeremy pushed another glass at me. "A month?"

"A month. No exceptions. You two can spend the days with the triplets but separate bedrooms, we'll lock you both in, and no time alone during the day. You two need to calm down." Jeremy leaned back. "Shower now."

"Another order?"

"I _retired_." He growled, sighed, and rubbed his head. "I thought I did. Go shower. You'll feel better."

He was right. The hot water, even in the hot summer night, felt good, the hot water easing my aching muscles, the bruises, relaxing me enough. The water and the aspirin took the edge off the headache. I crawled into bed only when Antonio reassured me the triplets were okay, holding the phone to them so I could hear them asleep. Anyone with babies would want this, I knew that, want a month off night duty. I struggled to sleep, kept getting up automatically to check on the empty cribs in the nursery, only to find my door locked and remembering that they weren't there anyway.

It was hard to turn off mum. Particularly with how guilty I felt about running off like that.

I sat there, in the darkness, staring at my phone, wondering if I should turn it on. Call Nick. Find out if he was struggling. Tell him off. I knew he'd have tried to call, message me, I knew that the second I turned it on he'd be there. This was the only way we could talk privately. I plugged it in and turned it on.

Twenty six messages since I'd gotten back here. Fifty during my run. Fifty?

I deleted them all, I couldn't read it all, and messaged him.

_'Home. Kiss them for me. Wash mouth with soap first.'_

I got an instant message back.

_'Eaten all soap in house. Need more. Come here with fresh supplies.'_

_'Forbidden.'_

_'Sneak out the window.'_

I rolled my eyes. I knew the second I tried, I'd be heard.

_'No.'_

_'I love you. I'm sorry. Come here.' _Nick's reply came before I could answer him with the simple two letter word, as if he couldn't wait for an answer. Or was it from earlier?

_'No.'_

_'I got jealous. Heard them talking about you. Saw you dancing with that mutt. So sexy... so drunk. Let me come home.'_

_'Did you sleep with them?'_

_'They made out while I threw up. Let me come home.'_

_'Ask your father.'._ I knew Antonio wouldn't let him. I knew that was a safe answer. Make him happy? He was happy all right, I could see it.

There was no answer for half an hour. I fell asleep, only to be woken by the vibration of my phone. It wasn't from Nick, it was from Antonio.

_'Nick is now tied to bed until I can repair the lock he broke. Goodnight Anne. See you tomorrow.'_

I yawned, rolled over and texed him one last time.

_'See you tomorrow .'_

I wanted to walk to Stonehaven but when I woke up, I ached so much I had to ask for a lift, face puffy, a black eye, bruises everywhere. Nick was waiting, exhausted looking, leaning against the porch, as if he'd been standing there all night.

He took one look at me and froze, eyes tracing up and down me, surprise and shock there.

"You didn't tell me you'd been hurt."

"It's nothing." I pushed past him as he tried to hug me. The image of him kissing that woman, really kissing her, flashed back in my head. "You didn't tell me why you were kissing that woman."

"She kissed me!" Nick protested, trying to grab me, only to be pushed off. "Liz, come on."

"With people like that waiting for you, no wonder why you never wanted mt o go with you." I glared at him and pushed past. The triplets were in the living room. They lit up at the sight of me, holding arms up, six arms in my direction. Three voices demanding 'Up!'

No way could I pick them all up so I jumped over the toddler barrier and lay back on the ground, shutting my eyes, relief as I felt them climb on me, their smells in my nostrils, giggles as they crawled all over me. It didn't matter if feet or hands dug into sore spots. I had my babies.

"Mama." Lily crawled over to my head, nuzzling, probably a habit she'd picked up from watching Nick. "Sleep."

"Mama sleeps, yes." I agreed. I actually had the urge to sleep here, right now, in the room with them. Sleeping without them around hadn't worked. "I missed you. All of you. Come here."

Arms captured the three of them, giggles as I held them close, nuzzling against their scalps. Okay. Maybe they picked it up from me as well. Nick jumped over too and rested against the wall, arms crossed, stiffening everytime he saw me stiffen, as a small hand prodded as sore spot or made me cringe.

"Welcome back." Antonio came to sit beside me. Two of the three headed for him with a squeal of 'Pop!'

He looked tired too.

"How'd you keep Nick in?"

"He learnt his rope skills from me." He replied as he hugged Dominic and Susie, lifting them into his lap, yawning. "Hi puppies."

"Cookie?"

"No. If you want some breakfast there's leftover in the fridge." He glanced up at me. "Unless Nick ate it. He's been hovering around the kitchen."

"I guarded it for her." Nick informed him.

"Do you want to bake a cake for tomorrow?" Antonio asked as I stood up, letting Lily loose on Nick's legs. He lifted her up, swinging her around, face lighting up as she laughed and squealed for more.

"Yeah. I might start that today. Jungle?"

"Ungle." Dominic agreed, very seriously, brown eyes going to me. "Cookie."

"They had some cookies last night after bed. Kept them up all night." Antonio explained, eyes going to Nick, half amused, half exasperated. "Daddy gives you anything you want, doesn't he? Any time of the day?"

"I bet he does." I headed for the kitchen, sliding over another toddler barrier, hearing Nick lower Lily down and follow fast after me.

"I'm right here." Antonio called from the living room. "Ears like a wolf."

"Come here." Nick pinned me against the bench, bending me forward, his arms tightening around me. "I'm not letting go."

"You kissed her." I muttered, wriggling, trying to peel his arms off me. One arm off, the other tightened, and no matter what I did, he refused. "Let me go."

"Nope."

"I have a cake to bake."

"You danced. With lots of men."

I turned, surprising him, Nick taking the chance to lift me up to sit on the bench. He grasped my legs, stroking up and down them under the skirt I'd put on. "I danced. I didn't kiss them or flirt."

"What did I teach you about seduction? The less you cared the more they wanted you." Nick slid his hands up higher. "And your mutt friend..."

"You didn't even want me there."

"I wanted _you_ there. Not him _and_ you." Fingers closed around the panties, trying to tug them down. "Tell them to let me in your room."

"That's Elena's choice." I pushed his hands off, refusing to let him get any further with his dad listening. I couldn't help it though. Nick's big brown eyes had me melting like chocolate in an oven. "Stop making me forgive you."

"Dance with me next time. Only me."

"And watch you get groped by women while I need a drink?" I muttered. Jealousy flared up in me again at that, seeing the women he'd danced with, the ones I sometimes smelt on him. "I can't watch that."

"Only you get to grope. They just get a dance." Nick's hands started back up my legs again. "Sometimes a kiss. Elena gets them too. You don't need to be jealous."

I felt my head drop onto his shoulder, even though I wanted to be angry with him, a shudder going through him at the contact.

"I'm jealous of Ray." He admitted, quieter. "So ..."

"Young?"

"Yeah." He admitted, quiet, his lips tracing the side of my neck. "I'm just pretending to be."

"You're not old either. Not many people your age can dance like that."

"Those girls were so jealous of you. It was funny." He grinned, kissing harder, tugging my body against his. "I couldn't leave the bathroom. They had too many questions. How did you get hurt?"

"Couple of drunk guys hit on me in central park. I didn't take it well." I muttered. He stiffened. "I think I hurt one badly. The other got a bit upset."

"Their own fault. Who tries to pick up a drunk girl in a park?" He shrugged it off. "I'm sorry."

"Me too. I'm sorry. I just wanted... I wanted..."

"To own me? Control me?" He grinned. "You get that right without needing to dance with every man. All you had to do was call and I'd have been there."

"Shit." I swore softly, as his fingers ran up and down my thighs, stroking them gently.

"What?"

"No sex for a month. Our first real fight and no make up sex."

"We'll have another fight in a month. Promise. I'll find a way." He nipped at my ear, slowly. "Want help baking this cake or should we stay here all day and pretend to bake?"


	3. Birthday

Hi guys. :) I decided to alternate between Ana & Anne in each chapter. Anne first... we'll see about Ana!

For updates, very rough sketches and other stuff, I'll put them on the facebook page, link on profile.

You don't have to join if you're not interested, but sometimes I see a photo or sketch something and decide to put it up to be seen. Or music. Music is always good.

* * *

><p>I spent time in the living room, sitting on the ground with the babies, talking with the triplets as they played and asked questions, deciding to worry about cakes later. Lily and Susie's hair, silvery blonde like mine had been, required some combing. Dominic needed lots of kisses. I watched them play with the crayons, endlessly fascinated with them, with their little world.<p>

If they knew I was upset with their daddy they didn't care. They crawled on top of us, showing us things, and Nick sat behind me on the couch. Now that I'd 'half-forgiven' him he was working hard on making it up, sucking me when I sat still long enough to be caught. That might have also had something to do with the call he'd gotten from Reece, who was still working in New York in Antonio's business, and the blasting he'd gotten.

"Do you need to go to the shops?" Antonio asked as I teased and played with their toys, holding up the keys.

"Probably." I nodded.

"Car?" Lily asked, glancing from me to the keys, half hopful, half threatening to burst into tears all of a sudden. "Go car?"

"Give me a list and I'll see if someone can pick it up." Antonio glanced at Lily's face. I could see his willpower melting, as her big blue eyes met his brown eyes, working on her grandpa's heart...

"No. We're staying here, Lily." I picked her up and turned her to face me instead.

"You can go. We'll stay here." Nick called.

I stood up, lifting Lily up with me, and headed into the kitchen to make a list as I held her, letting her scribble with the crayon as I wrote it.

"Chocolate."

"Yes." She agreed, very serious, pushing the green crayon down where my pen was righting. "Cwayon."

"Icing sugar."

"Cookies." She agreed again, scribbling it down, or her version of it. "Gween?" She asked, holding up the green crayon.

"Yes, green. Food colouring too. _Organic_." I added that part. As useless as it probably was, I'd kept that up since the pregnant, trusting my instincts during the pregnancy. It probably made very little difference... but who cared. Half the vegetables we ate now I grew anyway in the garden outside Forestwatch.

We kept making the list and Antonio came to collect it as Lily held her arms out to him, delighted by the sound of the keys.

"Car?" Lily's face lit up, dimples in both cheeks, silvery curls framing cute face, blue eyes wide and full of sheer joy. She loved cars. Or maybe she just loved the attention she got in town. Susie was, thankfully, less interested, but Lily was the boss of the three. What she wanted, all three wanted, and when she was upset, all three was upset.

"Sorry sweetie."

The look on Lily's face when she knew she wasn't going was heartbreaking. Tragic. The world had ended, there was no more joy in the world, and the sky was falling. Lips turned down, face fell, eyes darkened, dimples vanished, and she was about to break his heart some more...

"All right. All right. You can come in the car." Antonio threw his hands up. The darkness and threat of tears suddenly vanished as she beamed at him, dimples back, all silver hair and blue eyes, adorable angel face returning. "I'll take them. Clayton can come." He took her from me, brushing his fingers over the dimples, shaking his head.

"I don't know where she and Susie got those." I muttered. "Tools of manipulation."

"Her grandmother had them." Antonio replied quietly. Stroked her face again, the cheeks, and sighed. He glanced up. "I'll get you some wrapping paper too."

"What about the two of us?" I didn't mind, exactly, I wanted time with Nick...

"Gween." Lily pushed the crayon against Antonio's cheek. "Paper."

"Elena's coming to enforce her punishment." Antonio snuggled Lily closer, one of her hands grabbing the paper off the table as she kissed his cheek. "I can't resist you. Ever."

"She's her pop wrapped around her finger." I smiled as he snuggled her. "She has the list."

"I want cookie." She held it up to him, trying to show him the drawing and the words. "I want gween."

"I hope you can read the list."

"I can read it." Antonio took it out of her hands and flattened it against the counter. "Help me get their stuff ready."

No trip easy or small with three little ones. They had a special 'three baby' pram, a prepacked bag of nappies, toys tied to the pram, everything always left packed to make it faster, but it was an hour before he was ready to head off, Nick and I changing the triplets just in case, putting them in clean clothing, giving them a snack before they headed off so they weren't too obsessed with food. After last night they were cranky, grumpy, and I suspected they'd probably just fall asleep while Antonio and Clayton wandered around.

"Hey." Clayton spoke up as we packed things in the car. "You all right?"

He glanced at me, at the bruises, a little less angry than he had when he'd come to pick me up. Just a tiny bit. Clayton still made it clear he wasn't impressed.

"Yeah."

"Talked with Nick?"

"A little." I glanced back at Nick who was giving one of the exhausted toddlers an aeroplane ride. "He's wearing them out for you. Or making them cranky. Bring them home if they're too tired."

"I will. Got presents for them?"

"A few but ..."

"I'll get some more things then." He sighed, relaxed, and strode over to give me a quick reluctant hug. "You look like shit."

"Thanks."

He stepped back. "Get some sleep while we're gone. We've got it."

"Bring them back if you struggle."

"We will. We'll race back." Antonio nodded and turned. "Right. All into the car!"

Three little bodies pushed past us, trying to climb up into the same door, and we grabbed them, putting them into the seats and buckling them up. Susie already had mud smeared across one cheek and I had no clue, in this summer heat, how she'd found it. I hoped it was mud. A quick inhale and confirmed it was mud. Phew.

"Elena's coming over from Forestwatch now. You've got about two minutes." Clayton called as he slid into the car.

I was yanked into the house, sudden, Nick laughing, as they pulled away. He kissed me hard, over and over, stroking my face, trying to get my legs around his waist.

"Stop that." I pushed at him. The hurt was still there, it hadn't just gone away because I'd started to forgive him. "Put me down."

"We've got two minutes." Nick blinked at me.

"I'm still not happy with you."

He pulled my legs up, sliding my skirt up, pushing himself into me so fast that I gasped. I hadn't even realised he'd been ...out. Already.

"I love you." He breathed against my ear. "Love you. No one else."

"Ask me before you kiss anyone." I muttered, giving in again, wrapping my arms around him. Shut my eyes as our bodies moved against each other, putting our emotion and frustration into it, Nick's arms wrapping around me when we heard a car approach. He headed upstairs, still deep inside me, kissing my neck and ear, locking the door behind us as we went into the guest bedroom and dropped onto the bed in there.

"Mine." He growled, leaning up to gaze down at me, affection. "Yours."

We heard Elena call, Nick coming back down to move harder and faster, low growls as he claimed me again, my own body claiming his, owning it, refusing to let anyone else separate us till we'd finished what we intended on starting. Not even the alpha banging on the door.

It only took a few minutes of this before we both found release in each other, skin slippery with sweat and sliding against each other in the hot summer day, our muscles and limbs flopping with the effort of it.

"Mine." I reached up to touch his face. "No more kissing without permission."

"I'll come ask you every time." He agreed, breathing hard, his nose against my neck. "Introduce you. Give you her medical background before a dance. Anything you want."

"Dance lessons?" I asked, and Nick lifted his head, gazing down at me. "I want dance lessons. Private ones with you."

"You got it." He grinned. "Private dance lessons."

The door threatened to break now. Elena didn't sound impressed. Nick slid up, pulling me with him, trying to get our clothing back into place. Nick put a hand to his mouth, slid over to the window, and jumped out of it just as Elena got the door open.

She raised an eyebrow at me, lips swollen, hair messed up, skirt still rumpled. Looked around.

"Yoga."

"Sure." Elena rolled her eyes. "I can smell that. Come on."

"Can I kiss her?" Nick called from downstairs, running up them several at a time. "Can I kiss Elena?"

"You don't need to ask me with her." I brushed my hands over the skirt, legs trembling, wishing I could ...just for another hour. Or three. Just be alone with him. This punishment was suddenly getting harder and we were only on day one.

Nick kissed Elena, swinging her around, clearly happy now. He yanked me over to wrap his arms around us both.

"I'm still not happy with you." I muttered.

"That's okay. I'm not happy either." He pulled back.

Ana watched us from downstairs, arms crossed, her eyes tracing over my bruises. "You got hurt?"

"Nothing bad. How do you like your room?" I jumped down, separating from Nick's smell. "We can fix it up when we go back to the city, get some other stuff if you need it."

"I have a book list to get and need some things." She admitted. Smiled, relaxed, when she saw there wasn't really any problems. "Can we go get them soon?"

"I'll take you shopping. You and me. No babies and no Nick." I promised. It'd been so long since High School that I had no clue what the hell Ana needed. She had to be nervous though. "Does it have a uniform?"

She shook her head. "No, but they're pretty strict about clothing. I might need to get something. Dad thought I would buy it here."

I nodded. We headed into the kitchen with her list. We still had a couple of weeks before she had to go back to New York and live there so she could get to the school, thankfully, it'd give her time to get used to the time difference, we could go there on public transport so she got used to that, and get everything she needed. A laptop? Not what I needed at school. Books of various kinds, not all of them cheap either, some sports equipment, a deposit for the daily 'dining service', as they put it, and a bunch of other stuff.

"You nervous?"

Ana nodded. "Dad says it is the best here. He wants me to go to University. No one in our family has. They're all paying for this. When I get a job then I help them pay for my little brother to go to school like this."

"I don't blame him for wanting that." I'd want it too for my babies. Private school? I wondered about that, all of a sudden, where and what and when... and what the hell I'd do with that spare time when it came.

Matt, Logan and Kate appeared then, the three of them covered in mud and dirt, not even seeing us as they headed for the fridge. They'd been up to something. You could see it from their grins, the hard breathing, glances back at us as we watched them.

"Hi Liz. We're getting a picnic for lunch." Matt told me. "Okay?"

"Do you need help?"

"We can do it." Kate called. She was, more or less, just making sandwiches, not caring that she had dirty hands, while Logan grabbed stuff and put it into containers. Matt was heading for the tins of food in the pantry.

"There's a box of stuff in there that's for the party tomorrow. Don't touch that."

"We know. We already looked." Matt called.

"Can we have this?" Kate held up half a cold chicken. I nodded and she started to strip the meat off it. Matt needed more food than they did so they may as well do it right.

"Who are you?" Logan suddenly blinked, noticing Ana beside me.

"That's Ana. She's going to school in the city. Ana, this is Logan, Kate and Matt. I think you met Matt."

"I met him last night. Hi."

"Are you human?" Logan asked.

"I'm a were-jaguar."

"What's that?" Kate stopped trying to get the last of the meat off the frame as she turned around, blinking.

"I could show you." Ana offered.

"You could take her with you on the picnic if you wanted." I suggested, careful, not sure how they'd take that. But they seemed to like that idea, and Ana relaxed a little too.

"If you want me..."

"Yeah, you can come. We'll need more food." Logan decided. He headed for the fridge again. "All the stuff in the other kitchen is for tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Yes, so don't touch that."

"We won't. Ana, coming?" They stuffed tins, sandwiches, and other stuff in the bags.

"Yep. Can we talk about this stuff later?" She glanced at me and I nodded. Ana stood up and headed outside with the younger kids. I went back to reading the information the school had given her.

Nick's hands traced over the back of my neck, Elena nearby too, I wondered if they'd had a talk. He stroked my hair as I read, tracing bruises.

"I wish I'd been there to beat them up for you." He muttered. Fingers moved across the outline of a boot.

"My fault for getting too drunk."

"No." He muttered. Wrapped arms around me, chin resting on my shoulder. "Mine. Dad told me that was your first time drunk."

"I spoke with Nick." Elena moved around the front. She glanced at the disaster left behind by the kids and sighed. "Did you see the kids?"

"They took Ana on a picnic. I'll clean it up."

"It's okay." She shrugged. "I'll make them do it when they get back. They can't expect the pack to clean up after them all the time."

"Can I take her upstairs for a nap now? No sex."

"Leave the door open." Elena turned around to Nick. "Rules are rules. Door open, so we can see you at any time. I'll be checking."

"Door open." Nick agreed. He lifted me up, not waiting to ask, and headed upstairs.

"Call us when they get back. I'll start the cooking." I called, as we headed out of the kitchen and upstairs into the guest bedroom. Nick glared at the door, leaving it open, dropping me onto the bed.

He kicked off shoes and crawled on top of the sheets beside me, groaning, tugging a pillow under his head.

"Tough night?" I asked. Not sympathetic at all.

"They wouldn't go to sleep." He muttered. "All night."

"No more things with sugar after six."

He nodded. Groaned, tugged me against him, the smell of him calming me down. No matter what he'd done, who he'd kissed, all he had to do was get me like this. Close to him. One look at that face, or his smell wrapped around me, and I was putty.

"Those lesbians were terrible at kissing." He complained. "_Terrible_."

"Good." I muttered.

He opened one eye, smiling at my reply, tracing my face with a thumb. "They thought you were cute. Wanted a foursome."

"I don't share you."

"That's exactly what I told them." He snuggled into my back. "I don't share you."

We fell asleep, side by side, his heart thumping hard against my back. I woke a few hours later by the sound of quiet feet in the room, seeing Clayton and Antonio lowering sleeping toddlers into the crib in the corner.

"Wore them out?"

"They fell asleep in the car back." Clayton told me softly. "Forgot how babies attract humans. Middle aged human women." His eyes went from my face to where Nick was still asleep. "Forgiven him already?"

I shrugged and yawned. "How can I stay mad at that face?"

"Easily." Antonio replied. He made sure the fan was on the three babies, so that they weren't too hot, and sat down on the bed beside us. "I was worried when you vanished."

"Sorry. I was ...not thinking."

"First time drunk." He corrected me. Laughed softly when I flushed. "You can come back there if you get drunk. I won't give you a hard time."

"She was being groped all over the place" Nick muttered from behind me, lifting his head, resting his chin on my shoulder. "You should have come there faster."

"Huh?" I blinked.

"Nick called me. I didn't rush there." Antonio explained.

"You were drunk too, Nick." Clayton yanked Nick off the bed by his foot, tugging him, clamping a hand over his mouth so he wouldn't wake the sleeping toddlers. "Come out. Need your help."

Antonio watched him go.

"I wasn't being groped. I was making him jealous." I muttered. Sat up slowly. The three slept on, not caring about us talking, or where they'd been carried to, so content and safe in their perfect world. "How was it with them so tired?"

"Probably long over due for it too." Antonio glanced at them and rubbed his eyes. "Tiring. We had plenty of people to distract them though. You all right?"

"Yeah. I feel a bit sheepish now. I think I drank too much." I admitted. He laughed. "Did I really hurt those men badly?"

"That was why I came to talk to you." He slid over, tucking his legs under him. "You might have to avoid New York for a few weeks. They reported being assaulted by a single drunk woman. No one took them seriously, I think, but one of them is in hospital. They don't seem to have a good picture of your face."

"It wasn't my face they were interested in." I replied, rubbing my own head. "Guess I might have been a bit too much."

"They'll survive. They claimed that you lured them into the park, drunk, promising sexual favours in exchange for alcohol, and then attacked them. Stole their money."

"What!" I cringed as I saw one of the babies shift. Lowered my voice. "What? That's ridiculous. I'd never do that. They were trying to make me do stuff. I just lost my temper."

"I know you wouldn't. We all know." Antonio sighed. "No witnesses. Like I said, no one seems to take them seriously at the moment, the idea that two men were overpowered by one drunk woman is a bit far fetched. But I thought you better hear it now."

"Yeah. Thanks." We sat there quietly, the rage still in me, the idea that anyone would think I'd do that... Or that they'd lie. At least people here believed me. I stood up, tugging Antonio with me. "C-a-k-e making time."

"Got you. I'll help out." He nodded. Glanced at his grand kids one last time, then followed me downstairs.

Making the cake was pretty simple. I was going to make a snake and a crocodile, the snake a sea-snake, and they were pretty easy. Just some bunt cakes cut up and arranged on a tray. Icing made it look right. But I got help from Nick anyway, simply for the chance to bark orders at him, making him work.

"We let Ray know you were safe." Antonio informed me as he put away groceries. Clayton and Nick sat at the table, Clayton reading something, Nick trying to measure out ingredients for me. Dry in one bowl and wet in the other.

"I don't like him." Nick muttered.

"Why?"

Antonio grinned at that, eyes going to me, and he leaned closer. "Because he's jealous. He reminds Nick of a younger version of himself."

"Oh." That sort of made sense. "Except that Ray can dance _and_ has an accent."

"I can dance and I have an accent. American." Nick muttered. He stood up, sliding the bowls to me, his fingers coming over to tease my neck. "And I don't think he's younger than me."

"_Clay_ has an American accent." I reminded Nick. Clayton glanced up, not sure how to take that, then back at his book. "Ray's thirty. Twenty years younger." I confirmed. Ray was thirty. This did not help Nick relax. I leaned against him when he pressed against my back. A little teasing wouldn't hurt after Nick's behaviour. "So Nick really was..."

"A womanising flirt who didn't want long term relationships? Now you know why we thought he'd gone insane when he thought he was in love." Antonio called from inside the pantry. "What you saw was normal. After years of giving advice to everyone about how to avoid getting tied up in a relationship and how to have one night stands..."

"Hey, it was no different from Clay going from a human hating werewolf to suddenly being engaged to a human woman." Nick protested. "I just saw her and..."

"Got obsessed. You don't remember it yet but we do. It was sweet." Antonio replied from inside the pantry. "Need me to do anything?"

"I _did_ get her."

"Can you mix some icing, following that recipe on the back of the pack? May as well make it now." I asked as I nudged Nick backwards off me. "Ray's not interested in me, Nick, calm down."

"You couldn't get her in your usual way." Antonio corrected himself. "He used to give advice to Clayton that went along the lines of get in, have fun, then run away."

"I gave good advice. At the time."

"You hired him a hooker for his birthday and took him to a gay bar."

"Clayton needed to get laid." Nick glanced to me, as if he was hoping I'd back him up, but I just shrugged at him, returning Antonio's smile. It always amused me to hear about Nick's past when I wasn't staring at examples slapping me in the face.

"You were _my_ first, remember?" I reminded Nick and he frowned as if I'd betrayed him. Antonio grinned at me as I gave Nick the bowl of dry ingredients and an empty one, with a sive in it. "You need to sift them three times."

He scowled at me and took the bowl. The first attempt was a disaster, flour going all over Nick's face as he tipped it in too fast, shaking it too hard, too rushed.

"Slow down."

"Why do I need to sift them?" He shook his head, hair white with the flour, specks of cocoa all over his face. "We could have bought a cake."

"Get lumps out. I'm not buying them a cake. Clay-"

"I ain't helping you cook. I'll help you eat." Clayton glanced up. This was clearly not negotiable. "I'll help with throwing some streamers. That's about as much as you're getting out of me."

I shrugged, turned back to the whisking of the wet stuff. Fair enough. I had Nick to push around.

Once that was done, I had Nick do the 'add dry to wet slowly', knowing it'd be a disaster, but it didn't bother me too much. I wanted to make sausage rolls, lots of tiny ones, finger food that the triplets could easily consume. Adults too. It wasn't hard, though you'd have thought so by the way they hovered over to watch, just some egg, onion, grated carrot and sausage meat. If I mixed it today I'd just have to put it in the pastry tomorrow. I hid the carrot adding though. No one needed to know these had a _vegetable_ in them.

"There was a witness." Elena came into the kitchen as we were pouring the batter into the cakes. She was lowering a phone. "Did you see anyone in the park with you, Anne?"

"A witness?" I blinked as I raised my head to see her. "I wasn't really focused. So they saw how it really went?"

She shook her head. "The witness saw it how _they_ said it went. Exactly. Almost word for word. I know." She cut me off as my mouth opened. "Complete and utter bullshit. No one believes you'd trade sex for alcohol."

"Wait, what?" Nick glanced up from his careful pouring, almost tipping it on the bench. "What are people saying she'd do?"

"The men I beat up in the park." I replied, sliding the cake mold under his moving bowl. "Focus on that. Said I offered sex for booze then I robbed them."

"The thing is, whoever it was, they saw your face." She hesitated. "Face shown briefly. Apparently there's been calls from people in the club about you and Nick dancing. That got attention."

"What was wrong with how we were dancing?" I vaguely remembered being really pissed off with him, and him being really insistent we dance anyway, the two of us jealous of everyone else.

She held up the phone. There we were, on you tube, practically beating each other up by human standards, as we took out our jealousy on each other, claiming each other with bites, and Nick trying to kiss me with kisses that were more angry and possessive than sweet. Clayton stood up to look as well. I flushed, crossing my arms. Okay. So it looked _more_ violent than it actually had been. Nick _only_ gave me a few bruises and broke the skin with his teeth only once. He looked as furious and turned on as I did. Anyone who didn't know us wouldn't have a clue we were married.

"She's hot dancing, isn't she?" Nick grinned. Jumped as batter hit his foot. "Ah shit." He dropped the bowl on the counter and grabbed a tea towel to mop it up. "Can you send that to me?"

"Humans might think you two were attacking each other." Clayton shook his head. "Is it too late to try another honeymoon? I think you might have gotten her pregnant there again, Nick."

"It's popular. People are debating about whether you're able to beat up two men or not. Police might be considering it now." Elena slid the phone on the bench. "You can't go back to New York for a while."

"Ana's going to school though. I promised to take her shopping." I felt my heart sink a bit at that. "Take her on the public transport to see her school early. She needs a lot of stuff."

"I know. We'll have to take her and she'll have to stay with Antonio and Nick." She sighed. "We'll fly her home every weekend if you and the triplets can't spend the three days with Nick. It's the best we can do. I'm more concerned about what to do if the police come to question you."

"I had to defend myself." I protested.

"Yes, you did, but you weren't thinking. The damage you inflicted was a little ...over the top." She hesitated. "Do you remember when a mutt knocked you and Jamie off the road a few years back, and tried to get you to touch him?"

Oh shit. Blood drained a little out of my face. Yeah, I remembered that.

"You may have done a little more damage this time."

"Shit. They were trying to-"

"I know." Elena held up her hands. "_I know_. But you'll have to stay here a while."

"Yeah. I know." I took the bowl Nick had abandoned and went to pour it myself. Small tasks and chores. They always made stress easier. I suddenly had an urge to go do the laundry too. "I have to say here."

"What did she do to the mutt?" Nick was glancing from me, to Elena, to Clayton, to Antonio, confused. I remembered that he had huge gaps still.

"Let's just say, if we told you, there'd be no sausages tomorrow." Antonio shook his head.

"Let's have no sausages tomorrow anyway." Clayton suggested. Cringed slightly. "The memory's bad enough."

"Maybe I better not make a snake cake."

Clayton laughed then. "Maybe not."

Nick seemed to get it then. His eyes caught on me, face paling, but there was a little amusement there too. He shook his head slightly. "What did I marry?"

"A wolf." Clayton slapped him on the back. His head twitched in the direction of the guest room, at the same time mine did, as we heard a small voice call out. "Think the puppies are up."

"Nick, go on up." Elena turned to me. "If they come, just tell them what happened. That you were drunk, they tried to make you do things, and you fought back. The witness didn't seem to mention Ray and he'll be your witness. But I want to take photos."

"Photos?"

"Of your bruises. Just in case."

I nodded and put the bowl down.

"How long in the oven, how hot?" Antonio asked.

"Bang it on the counter a few times first to get air out." I read out the temperature for the American temperature, the time, and followed Elena into the study.

For the next half hour she had me bend, stand, bend, twist and stand there while she took photos. We healed much faster than others, they were already feeling a little better, but even our fast healing struggled with the extent of the bruising, one of the ribs maybe injured, the slice along one of my sides. She used a ruler for some of them. I hoped it wasn't needed.

"How do I explain what I did?" I asked as I dressed again in the skirt and the thin tank top.

"Couple of men tried to attack you. You got scared and defended yourself." Elena shrugged. She hooked the camera into the computer. "Women can lift cars off babies. Don't worry about it now. We've got what we need."

"Elena?"

She glanced up from me.

"Can Nick come over tonight for a date?"

"He's not allowed to."

"Just for a few hours. You can send a chaperone." That last part made Elena's lips twitch in a smile.

"A _chaperone_?" She laughed. "Okay. You can have him as long as he's home by eleven."

I nodded and headed back into the kitchen.

"Catch!"

I spun around as I passed the stairs, Susie thrown at me again, my arms grabbing her before she slipped. Nick stood there, grinning down at me, before he vanished. Hadn't we done this before? Christmas? I had to kick him.

"I fly." Susie grinned at me, her silvery curls all over the place, as she grabbed onto me. "I fly!"

"So does daddy when Mama gets him." I informed her. I headed into the living room before he could throw another toddler at me.

I slid onto the couch with Susie, tugging a book open for her, letting her push the pages with her palms. She hadn't quite got that pages turned, not got pushed, but Lily had started to try 'turning' pages. She usually tore paper doing that.

"Have you seen where the kids and Ana went to?" I called as Clayton jumped over the toddler barrier to come flop beside me.

"They're still on their picnic." Elena called. "Clay, think we should round them up?"

"Na. Let them stay there for a while." He shrugged. "They might try and pinch the cakes if we let them in too soon."

"Cake?" Susie's head went for Clayton then. She dropped the book and held her arms out to the big guy. "Cake?" Her eyes went to me. "Cake."

"No cake." I shook my head.

"Here." Clayton took her from me, the book, and opened it up for her. "I'll read and you do that stuff in the kitchen."

"Call me if she needs changing."

"I changed them." Nick called. He lowered Lily and Dominic over the barrier, holding them by the backs of their tops, till their feet were steady on the ground. "They're okay for a while."

I headed back into the kitchen and went back to work, glad to watch my kids roll around nearby, slipping them icecream in the hot summer afternoon. Nick wasn't the only one who spoiled them... I just was more sneaky about it. Little sticks with icecream frozen on them were usually gone in seconds. While they wandered around with sticky hands and tormented Nick, I got the cakes out, cooled them, and iced them.

Then icing, coloured that, trying to make three crocodiles, using a large metal tray. They could go in the other fridge till tomorrow.

"Yum." Nick stole some of the green icing, pressing up behind me, his free arm sneaking around my waist. "Can I have some?"

"Tomorrow." I slid the cake safely to the side and turned around, jumping up onto the bench, pulling him closer. "Nick?"

"I'll have some of you too." He grinned. "Yeah?"

"Want to come over for a date tonight when the triplets are in bed? Elena said you had to be home by eleven."

"How old are we, fifteen?" He scowled.

"She can take it back." Clayton called.

"What are we doing on this date?" Nick ignored Clayton. He ran his hands up my legs, pushing the skirt out of his way again, a hand sliding between my legs. I blocked him. "No one can see."

"They can hear though." Clayton's voice again.

"Watch a movie." I replied, sliding my legs to one of his sides to remove that temptation, which Nick took as 'pick her up'. He picked me up, carrying me into the living room, dumping me on the couch and jumping on top. "I've got a cake to make."

Someone else joined us, climbing up, Dominic trying to get on top of Nick. Copying him. Nick had to slid to my side, the two of us almost falling off the couch, so that Dominic could sit on my stomach and rest against Nick. It was only seconds before Lily and Susie tried it out too, legs claimed.

I groaned and flopped back. Impossible. They were too strong.

"So date. What movie?" Nick asked, nuzzling my neck. "Why?"

"You don't remember me well so ...we date." I replied, turning my head to him, smiling weakly and ignoring the pain the three babies caused on bruises. "You have to dress nicely."

"Will you?"

I nodded.

Nick rested down beside me, arm across me. The toddlers got off after another half minute- it was really too hot for cuddles. They preferred to sit under the ceiling fan and play.

After a while I had to get up and resume crocodile building, putting on music as I did, the windows open to let in a wind that'd come up. Nick watched me, his eyes not leaving me from the couch, not until the toddlers got his attention.

The three kids and Ana reappeared an hour later, twice as muddy as before, wet, dumping their stuff on the table. Only for a second though. Elena appeared and one look from her had them backing out the door so they could change the muddy wet stuff, then at the sink rinsing and stacking it all in the dishwasher.

Finally they were done- three crocodiles, all ready for the 'slime' I'd made earlier, which was more or less just green jelly, and I carried them into the newer part of Stonehaven in order to put them safely away.

It was then that I heard two cars pull up outside. Luca's voice, two strange men with him, and Jeremy. Jeremy? He hadn't been here for a while. Jamie was there too.

"Anne? Can you come here? Elena?" Jeremy called as he opened the door and stepped inside. "Lucas needs to talk with you."

Nick appeared as I made my way back into Stonehaven, Elena coming down the stairs. She looked surprised to see Lucas.

"Didn't expect to see you till tomorrow." Elena's eyes went past him to the two men behind him. Body guards?

"I need to talk with Anne in private." Lucas explained, eyes going to me, tense. "Mind if I stay overnight tonight? These two go back to town when I'm done and Paige is coming in tomorrow."

"Of course."

"You can talk in the study." Jeremy said quietly. Jamie moved past him to put her bags down in another room, a quick greeting called. "Everyone else has to leave them."

Nick stepped closer, arm brushing hard against mine, his muscles tense. "I'm going in."

"He's my husband." I added, quickly, as the two 'bodyguards' glanced at each other.

"The man from the video was your husband?" They glanced at each other. We heard a car skidding down the driveway fast.

I nodded. "Is it all right if he stays?"

"I'm staying." Nick muttered, nudged me.

"I'm coming as well." Elena added.

"No, you can't-"

"Alpha." Lucas hissed. They hesitated.

"All right. Where can we talk in private?"

I led them down into the study, Nick's hand curling around my waist, casting a glance back at them.

"Am I in trouble for something?" I asked as we sat, Nick tugging me into his lap, refusing to separate.

"Just questions right now." Lucas reassured me, as the two men glanced at each other again. "No trouble. My father hasn't yet found Demetruis, the father of Aaron, but he was seen in Central park."

"Central park?" I blinked. The old man had been seen?

"Do you recall seeing the witness that saw your attack?"

"No, I wasn't really able to see anyone except the humans." I admitted. "I was drunk."

"I know. My father's investigating the connection between the two incidents." Lucas leaned back. "It's probably nothing but he asked me to let you know that, due to your assistance capturing Aaron, he'll keep it quiet. You won't get any police questioning you."

I wondered if that was the full truth. Lucas didn't seem to think so, from the stiffness in his voice when he spoke, the way he sat up. "Really?"

"That's what his message was." He paused. "After Demetruis's overreaction, we're not keen on letting him show up again like that, we're trying to find him. He's not easy to find." This was saying something, coming from Lucas, who with Paige tended to track people down. If magic and skilled investigators couldn't find him, that was saying something. "We think he might be the witness to your attack."

"The one that agreed with my attackers?"

"Exactly." Lucas went quiet a moment. "I thought I better come tell you myself. Just keep an eye out. Call if you need us. No one expects you to handle him on your own. He's not like his son."

I nodded. "Trust me. I don't want to attack someone with magic. He's all yours."

Lucas relaxed and smiled a little then. He glanced behind him. "You two can head back now. I'm having dinner here, if that's fine?" He glanced at Elena who nodded.

"But your father-"

"Told you to protect me. I'm now safe in a house full of werewolves. You can wait in town and make sure Paige gets here too." Lucas's look showed he wasn't kidding, either about them leaving or making sure Paige got there. "My father wouldn't be impressed if his daughter-in-law got attacked while you were protecting me in a safe place."

That got them to leave.

"How is Paige?" Elena relaxed, leaning back, and we left to leave them to talk.

I headed back to Forestwatch then. Nick had to get into the evening routine with the triplets and I had to get ready for his 'date'.

I'd promised Nick I'd dress up. Jeans and a peasant top were about as far as I got, admittedly, but I could have shown up naked and he'd be happy. I wore heels for him though- that way I was closer to his height. The part he'd _really_ like was being saved for later.

It was a movie night, our 'first date', but not one like he'd expected. It was stinking hot still, the insects loud outside, the kind of night that a person would spend in front of a fan or in air conditioning. As Forestwatch still had no air conditioning it was going to be one of those 'sit in front of a fan' nights. That was why it was perfect for an outdoor viewing.

Antonio had been told to go 'chaperone'. Werewolf hearing was both a curse and a blessing- he didn't have to be in the backyard with us to 'watch', but it also meant he heard everything said. Mostly.

I lay there, half asleep in the heat, stretched out on one of the banana lounges, the TV sitting at one end of the pool, candles on the fence around it. It was growing dark now, the insects getting louder, the soft hum of a TV inside as Antonio watched his own movie.

Nick was trying to sneak up, I could hear him, smell him grow closer, jump across the fence to the pool. Just as he was about to pounce, his breathing slow and quiet, I opened my eyes and shoved him into the pool.

He fell with a splash, and I stood up, standing there above him as he spluttered and flopped around, grabbing for the edge. He had dressed up. Like I'd told him. I grinned down at him as he glared at me, breathing hard, his clothing sticking to him.

"What was that for?"

"Dinner in the pool." I told him, stepping back as he grabbed for my feet, careful to not slip on the tiles in the heels.

"You told me to get dressed up." Nick pouted, but he grinned as I threw board shorts at him. "In these?" He held them up.

"Unless you want to swim in those?" I glanced at the long pants and tshirt.

He stripped as I watched, my hands on my hips, grinning as my eyes traced every last item of clothing.

"I could just stay like this..." He offered, throwing his pants over my head, glancing down at his naked body.

"You put them on or I don't get in. This is your punishment from me."

Nick pouted, glanced at the house, one of the curtains shifting, and slid them over his bare legs and up. They were a cover, sort of, but they weren't much of one. They were loose and baggy, down to his knees, the Velcro right in a handy spot... I smiled, watching him tie it under his bellybutton, eyes over the muscles that curved down on his hips.

"So are you getting in wearing that?" He glanced up at me when they were in place, catching my eyes low down on his stomach, that grin returning. It had gotten slightly predatory now, his own eyes tracing over my bare shoulders, trying to grab for an ankle. "Or taking it off?"

"Taking it off."

"Oh?" He swam backwards a bit, resting on his back, arms coming under his head. "Let's see."

I glanced up, seeing the first firefly of the night fly past, and smiled. Eyes went back to Nick's eyes, locking in his, as i slowly unbuttoned my jeans. His eyes traced down, watching, his breathing a little faster.

There was something incredibly powerful about this, about a man being so attracted to you that you affected his breathing just by touching the button on the jeans, that you made him slide up a bit straighter, come a little closer as the zip was pulled down slowly. I slid it down my legs, careful in the heels to not fall over, bending forward so he couldn't see what was underneath. Then I stood up again, the long peasant top covering my hips, making him swim closer, trying to see if I was naked underneath or not.

"Back up or they go back on." I ordered. He grinned, swam back a metre, and waited. "Eyes closed."

Nick closed his eyes.

"Turn around."

He turned around, obedient, his heart racing. I tugged my shirt off, throwing it aside, and slowly climbed into the pool behind him. I wasn't naked, of course, this was just the first date. I stood there, heels still on, the bikini bottom and top not leaving much to the imagination, ignoring the urge to cover myself up. Instead I took the straps of the bikini top and tied them up around my neck. I'd considered a strapless bikini top but with larger heavier breasts it hadn't worked, it just kept sliding down. The '70s halter' worked better. My legs were shaved, which wasn't something I did often for anyone.

"Can I look yet?"

"In twenty seconds." I pulled the little waterproof box closer to the edge of the pool, with the remote, and stood back up, hands on hips, as he counted.

He turned around and gazed up at me, not hiding his approval as he slid closer, pulling me close. One of Nick's hands traced down my bare back and over my behind, fingers sliding into the bikini bottom, only to be pushed away.

"Take off my shoes?" I asked, lowering myself in the water, raising a leg up to him. Nick raised an eyebrow, standing above me as he unstrapped them, throwing them to one side, fingers tracing up my legs.

"Is this my movie?" He knelt down, sliding closer, pulling me through the water into his lap.

"No. This is." I pulled back to grab the remote. Turned the DVD on and slid back into his lap, letting him wrap his arms around me for it, relaxing against him. "So no groping."

"Come on." Nick groaned, his hand getting slapped away when he tried, chin flopping onto my shoulder. "After that tease?"

"First date." I reminded him. I slid out of his grip to get the food on a floating tray, sliding his across on the water, and relaxed beside him in the shallow water. "What do people usually do on the first date?"

"Me?" He grinned. Ignored the food and headed straight for me. "I have all kinds of things I like to do on the first date. Want me to demonstrate?"

"Maybe."

Lips crashed onto mine, water flying, food falling into the pool. Nick grabbed me and pushed me up against the side of the pool, one of his arms behind me to protect me from the edge, the other pulling my leg around his hips. It was pretty clear what he intended when I felt his hands try and tug the bottoms down.

"This isn't what we did on _our_ first date." I told him when he let me breathe, our faces flushed, his body clearly

"What did we do?" He blinked at me, a little groggy.

"Watched that movie." I pointed at Suckerpunch. "Didn't even kiss."

"We didn't kiss?" He shook his head. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "You can have me on the third date."

Nick scowled and tried to grab for me, trying, ignoring the movie as I slipped away.

"In a month." I added, teasing him now. "When Elena lets you back home."

Nick really grabbed me then, dragging me against him, trying to pull fabric off. We struggled against each other, the movie forgotten, kissing and biting, as we teased each other. He wouldn't force me, I knew that, but he gladly tested my resolve as much as he could. When I told him no kissing till the second date he firmly ignored that order.

Somehow though we managed to settle, calming down, watching the movie as we tried to eat and pretend we didn't want to tear each other's clothing off then and there. Then when it was over we floated, talked, pretending we were getting to know each other. The sad part was, with Nick's memory half gone, it wasn't a lie. He still had a lot he wanted to know.

After a while he was trembling. That made me feel a bit strange- I was still pretty hot in the hot summer night- but I agreed to get out and we dried off.

"I'm late." Nick realised, swearing, as he glanced at his watch. "It's midnight."

"Say the car broke down." I grinned. "Or you got lost again."

"Ha ha. I'll see you tomorrow." He moved closer, hands stroking down my back, one last attempt to pull the bikini apart as I slapped him away. "You're so warm. I could stand here against you all night..."

"Get going or she'll ban you from the next date!" I laughed, pushing him back, and watched him as he got into his car and reluctantly drove away, still damp from the pool, glancing back at me until we could no longer stare at each other.

"Anne?" A timid voice woke me, the door partly open, Ana's head poking in. "Sorry. But your alarm's been going for an hour."

I blinked and sat up, groggy, the fan still on me. It was just as hot now as it'd been last night. I'd been sweating all night too. "Ah. Sorry. Thanks." I reached out for the alarm as it went off again in my phone. Turned it off. It was nearly nine. I had too much to do to sleep in. Why hadn't I woken? That was not a good way to start the day.

"Are you going early?"

"Yes, lots to cook. You can stay here if you want, sleep a bit more. Antonio wanted to drop by to pick up some things so he'll take you over."

"Okay, cool." Ana vanished again and I heard her head for her bedroom.

I stood up, slowly, legs shaking, and went for the shower. Cold water seemed to help refresh me from the bad night's sleep, soaking me to the bone, washing my skin clean of the sweat. This was one element of summer I'd always hated in Australia in any climate- the nights that were so hot it was nearly impossible to get a good night's sleep. But it was two years since the babies had come! They were two years old today!

This made me move a little bit faster, missing them, wishing I could have gotten up early enough to be there when they woke. That had been the original plan. Get there early, say good morning to them, snuggles in bed with them and Nick, help him change them and feed them and then I'd cook. If it was nine already then he'd already be up to the feeding part.

I sighed and hurried as I dressed, tugging on a dress and shorts, thongs on feet, and hurried out the door, a bag of food over one shoulder. It wasn't that far of a walk.

It seemed to take forever though. The heat, the sweat, my aching head, all of it, I seemed to struggle to hurry like I usually did. By the time I got there a twenty minute walk had turned into a forty minute walk and I was late. Ten thirty. We needed everything ready by twelve.

"Hi!" I called, waving, hurrying into the other kitchen and dumping the food down. I went straight for the tap, cold water, trying to re-hydrate myself. My head felt a bit light and dizzy. No problem. It'd been a hot night.

"You cooking already?" Nick asked, yawning, one baby under arm. "It's still early."

"Yeah. Hi baby." I turned to hug Nick and Susie.

"Hi baby." Nick grinned, kissing me, pressing me gently against the kitchen bench. "I like that greeting."

"I was talking to our baby." I yawned, head resting against his chest as I stroked Susie's face. "All fed?"

Susie yawned back at me and shut her eyes.

"You're still pretty hot." Nick muttered, I felt his hand stroke down an arm.

"Summer." I reminded him. "Where they setting it up?"

"In the other living room." He answered, still stroking my bare arm. "You okay?"

"Great. Lots to do." I stood up.

"I'll go help in there then. Call if you need me." Nick kissed me again, backing up, and heading away through the door.

I worked hard, turning the fan on at one point, tying my hair back so that the sweat didn't keep catching on it, glad that the dress and shorts weren't too long. Most things were just waiting to be heated up, so that was easy, things sliced up heated in oven, pastry lined out so it'd defrost...

"Need any help?" A familiar voice came from the doorway.

I blinked and looked up. Clayton stood there, leaning against the door, his own sweat glistening in the light. He looked just as hot as I was feeling.

"Yeah. I'd love some help." Hadn't he said he wouldn't help? That was strange. I pushed the bowl in his direction. "You all right?"

Clayton glanced up at me. It took him a moment to register what I'd said. "Yeah, why?"

"You're offering to help."

He shrugged, rubbed his head, and glanced up at the ceiling fan. "It's hot. You're the only one with the sense to have that thing on and you look tired." Clayton took the bowl off me. "So what do we do with this meat stuff?"

I showed him how to stuff sausage rolls, still a bit suspicious by this offer of help, and went to do something else, heating up some other food, getting things together, washing my arms every now and then to get rid of the sweat. Again. The fan helped mostly but even Clayton looked hot. Once the stuff was in the oven I grabbed cold drinks and slid one across to Clayton, who was starting to sweat too, his face pale.

"Wish we had air conditioning now." I muttered and he nodded.

"All done?"

"Yeah. Most of it just needs putting out now." I rubbed my head, hairline damp with the sweat, shutting my eyes. I couldn't believe how exhausted I was starting to feel.

"Didn't you sleep?" He asked. I could feel his eyes on me.

"Yeah. Guess I didn't sleep well. It's been strange- sleeping in a nearly empty house, heat, could barely get up by morning. Everyone slept here except Ana."

"They did. It was hard to sleep here. Noise everywhere. I should have gone to your house for a good sleep." Clayton yawned. "What's this I'm making?"

He gestured at the rolls he hadn't yet sealed up.

"Sausage rolls."

"Sound good."

I shut my eyes and rested my head on my arms. The bright light was getting to me, the heat, all of it. I wanted another cold shower.

"You okay?"

"I think I need another cold shower." I muttered and stood up. "Can you ...they only need fifteen minutes. The ones in the oven should be done soon, the timer's on, so just put them in the fridge."

"I can handle it. Go have a shower." He nodded. "I'll get some extra hands. Reece is complaining he has nothing to do."

"Reece is here?" My head shot up then, sudden.

"Can't you hear him?" He blinked at me.

I shook my head and hurried through the door, trying to see the other Australian, hearing him as I got closer. He was making lion noises at one of the girls, making her giggle.

"Reece?"

"Anne!" Reece grabbed me in a huge hug, spinning me around. "They let you of the kitchen."

"When did you get here?"

"An hour ago. You seemed busy so..." He shrugged. "You're a bit hot." Reece blinked down at me.

"I'm going up to have another shower. Clayton wants your help in the kitchen."

"I bet he does." He grinned. "Dani, let's go rescue him."

Daniella glanced up from where she was swamped with two of the three toddlers, her face flushed. "I'll be there in a second."

I headed upstairs and stripped off, sliding into the cold water, shuddering as the relief of it hit my hot skin. The day was so warm. Nick came into the bathroom, locking hte door behind us.

"They won't notice I'm here with you." He grinned, stripping, and went to step in. "Fuck! It's cold. Put on the hot water."

"I'm hot." I muttered. He frowned at me, reaching out to touch my forehead again, cringing as he did.

"You're still hot? Get out of that water." He yanked me out, not much resistance as he did, wrapping a towel around me. "It's not a hot day."

"Yes it is. I needed the fan all night."

"It was cool last night. Clayton complained of the same thing." Nick rubbed the cold water off me. Any romantic thoughts were gone now, he just looked concerned. "I think you're sick."

"I can't be sick. It's their birthday." I pulled away and dressed again, slowly, my head not liking it when I moved too fast. "Dehydration. That's it." I vaguely remembered this excuse being used once before.

"Have you got a strange bite again?" Nick seemed to remember that too. "One you haven't noticed?"

"No. I just feel hot. Nick? Leave it alone. We've got a party downstairs." I tugged the dress over my head. "Later. Worry about it later."

"I'll be keeping an eye on you." Nick re-dressed reluctantly. "I wonder if Clayton's sick too? That'd be a first."

"I doubt it. I think I'm just not as good with heat as you." I shrugged it off. Now that I'd cooled down in the shower, now that my hair was wet, I felt better. "It's not that bad. No bites, just thirsty."

"Good." He smiled, clearly trying to believe me, stepping closer when his pants were on. Nick pinned me against the wall, licking the wet skin, brushing hair out of his way, teasing my throat with his lips. "You worked hard so you can relax."

"How did they sleep last night?" I asked, as he lifted me up onto the bench, fingers stroking between my legs, slipping under the panties.

"Very well." Nick replied, teasing me, watching my face as I breathed a little harder. "Can I have you yet?"

I shook my head. He pouted and continued to run his fingers against the damp hairs there, teasing my poor body. It wanted him. I had to ...stay strong. Or something. I inhaled as he slid one finger inside me, slowly, his lips curving up in a grin as he watched my reaction.

"You sure?" He pressed his palm against me as it inched in, making me shudder. "You don't feel so sure."

"Not till the third date."

"Aww." Nick withdrew his hand and bent down to pick up the shorts, sliding them up my legs. "If you say so."

Damn him. I wanted him now.

"Nick?"

Nick turned around, a hopeful look on his face. I nipped him hard and he grinned. "Yes now?"

"Screw you." I headed for the door only to be yanked back. I grabbed for his shirt and tried to push it at him. "Dress."

"No. Screw each other." He laughed, wrapping his arms around me, nuzzling against the back of my head. "Time for party. Food's done. Yum. Smells like Clayton burnt some."

I couldn't smell it. This vague thought drifted through my head, a moment, but it was blocked by the sound of someone banging on the door.

Nick glanced at the open bathroom window, kissed the back of my neck again, and was out of it as fast as he could move. I opened it to see Elena there, sweating a little too, arms crossed, an amused look on her face. Nick's shirt was still in my hands.

"Yoga again?"

"Not even yoga. Just a stretch." I muttered. Threw the shirt at the laundry basket. She laughed.

"Food's all set out. We're just waiting for you and looking for Nick."

"He's-" I glanced back at the window. "Probably there."

"He is."

We headed downstairs and into the living room. Jungle was right, it had 'vines' everywhere, streamers, food, jungle toys dangling, their birthday presents covered in vines and up on a table safely out of their grabby hands. The triplets had already started to eat, wandering around with tiny sausage rolls, tomato sauce dripping from them, the bigger kids eating too. Luckily Nick had thought ahead enough to not dress them in anything that nice.

Nick lifted me up. "Where's my shirt?"

"You're Tarzan. Go shirtless."

"If you want." He grinned, flexing his muscles at me, before flopping back on the couch with me in his lap. "Hungry?"

I blinked and shook my head. Nick stared at me like I was mad.

"Really not hungry?"

"Not really." I hadn't even eaten breakfast. That was strange.

"You better eat anyway." Elena offered me a plate. "It'll vanish if you don't eat it now."

I ate slowly, finding that I just didn't care much about the food, watching the toddlers race around as they played with the big kids, play games, vanish for a few minutes to get cleaned up and changed. Reece flopped beside me and snuggled me into his side while Nick was gone.

"You've been quiet."

"Just watching them."

"Can't believe how much they talk now." He stared at them. "They were barely talking at Christmas last year."

"I know." I watched Lily try to explain why she wanted another sasuage roll to an amused Clayton, half undressed, clearly having escaped Nick's clutches long enough to return for more food. She was trying to pull the rest of the annoying clothing off as she spoke to him. "They can even undress themselves. Can't wait till they can put it back on again. Be back in a second."

I stood up, blinked as the world spun, falling back down.

"Changed your mind?"

"I ..." I stood up again, slower, more careful. "Na. I'll be back."

I hoisted her up as she got her pants off, carrying her back out of the room to where her daddy was probably trying to hold the other two down. Nick glanced up as I came in.

"Found our runaway?"

"She was telling Clayton how hungry she is. Weren't you?"

Lily nodded, wriggling. "I want food."

"Mama caught you a whole crocodile each." Nick told her as he took her. He grinned at me. "She's a good hunter."

"We open presents then we get your crocodiles out." I promised them as I took Susie, buttoning up her clothing again, stroking her hair.

"Presents?" Susie gazed up at me.

"Lots of them." Nick called. He released Dominic, now dressed, who hurried over to me and tried to help me dress Susie. It wasn't helpful but it was cute.

Once the three of them were somewhat clean we headed back into the living room. They were sat down, cameras reappeared, and the three were offered presents. We watched as they tore into them, throwing paper everywhere, enjoying the tearing as much as they enjoyed the things inside. Toys, tricycles from their grandpa, things that flashed, beeped and made noise, books, clothing, all kind of stuff. Probably too much but no one was complaining.

I started to get hot again, leaning against Reece's free side, Daniella helping Nick give them the toys, aware that my head was going fuzzy again. I felt sick too. I wasn't going to try eating the cakes.

"You okay?" Reece asked, quietly.

I'd heard that query too many times to day to go 'Yes' so I answered, "I don't know."

Clayton wasn't looking too hot either. He looked pale, shiny with sweat, his eyes shut as he leaned on Elena's side.

"Maybe we're sick." I muttered. Reece followed my eyes to Clayton. "I should get him some water."

"Want me to get the cakes and some water?"

I nodded and he stood up. Reece headed into the kitchen, glancing to Daniella, who hurried after him. She came in with the tray of crocodiles 'swimming' in the green jelly I'd put all over it this morning and Reece handed me the water, offering some to Clayton too.

Elena took it, fanning herself a moment, before she offered it to Clayton. He blinked and sipped it.

The triplets didn't know anything was wrong. The moment they squealed, we all focused on them, watching them as Nick stuck the two candles in each crocodile and lit them. Video cameras on them, kids sliding closer to admire the crocodiles, as everyone sang happy birthday, Lily already breaking off a bit of the tail and eating it, Dominic prodding the eyeball of his, Susie waiting patiently.

I remembered, two years ago, remembered the craziness that'd been around their birth. Making me think they'd cut them out of me, so that the alpha got distance and didn't come back too fast, coming out of some spell to find out that I had to go through birth all over again...

Nick going comatose after he saw Lily's birth, and Antonio having to catch Susie. Dominic showing up when everyone thought it was over, coming in from his hiding place, pushed down feet first. It was lucky he hadn't come out first. He was smaller and the breech birth hadn't been as dangerous. By then I'd been so wide open that it'd barely taken much at all to get him out after the big girls.

I did not want to do that again. I loved them, I loved kids, but I did not want to do that again. Pav had been there, she'd been the one to get him out safely, and now she was in Russia with her own twin boys. She couldn't bring them out here, not till they were three, the rules of the Russian pack- no children were allowed to leave the property till they were three. Good rule. She sent me videos all the time of her boys, two little dark haired light eyed babies, and apparently Vi was considering having a baby too. It would be amusing to see that.

I'd promised to fly over soon.

I blinked as cake was offered to me. I hadn't even seen them cut the crocodiles. I shook my head. Nick blinked down at me, his hand pressed against my head, and said something about putting it in the fridge. I shut my eyes.

Then Jeremy appeared. I wasn't sure when, the room was empty when I opened my eyes again, mess everywhere, the sounds of noise in another room. Had he been here all this time? Probably. Jamie too. Everyone had been here. I hadn't really focused on them.

"Right. Up to bed." He was saying, taking away a thin glass object. "Why didn't you tell me she was sick, Nick?"

"She kept saying she was fine."

"Clayton's sick." I muttered. "Triplets."

"He's in bed." Jeremy pocketed the thermometer and lifted me up. "Triplets are being watched. No excuses."

Then I blinked and I was in bed. That was fast. I wasn't sure when we'd gone upstairs. We were in Stonehaven, I could tell, it was the guest room. Nick stood at the window, arms crossed, that line between his eyes again as he frowned out the window. His worried look. It was dark, fireflies dancing outside, I could see one resting on the glass near him.

"When did it get dark?" I tried to sit up. My body wasn't responding.

"A few hours ago." He turned to look at me, sitting down on the bed beside me, reaching out to touch my arm. "I wish you'd tell me when you're not well. You don't have to pretend to be strong with me."

"I didn't know."

He shrugged, a mixture of annoyance and worry there, clearly not believing me. "Clayton's bad too."

"What is it?" I shut my eyes. When I opened them again, struggling to do so, fighting a haze of heat and nausea and grogginess, he was somewhere else, reading a book at the edge of the bed, glancing back at me the second I'd woken. "What is it?"

"You asked that an hour ago. We don't know. Jeremy's called Amar. Vi's flying over with Amar now." Pav's father. If he called Amar and got Vi to come over then he was worried, Jeremy didn't usually bother him. Amar was now the doctor for the Russian pack.

"It's just a fever." I muttered. As I shut my eyes, I heard him say something about Elena and Daniella.

Elena? Daniella?

After that, things got odd. I slept, I think, but I saw faces. Vi. Amar. I felt hot, and feverish, and swore I saw other things too, wolves, and faces of things, the sense of being chased, jaguars dancing around the room, hallucinations, and heat, and the taste of vomit, arms holding me down as I thrashed and struggled, trying to get up, the sudden shock of freezing cold something, and then heat again.

Blood. I smelt a lot of that.

Silence. For a long time, even with all the faces, and the words, and the arms holding me down, I heard silence. It felt like seconds, sometimes, these periods between sleep, these times when I saw things that I no longer knew were real or not, and then sometimes it felt like weeks. Months, stretching out.

Then one day I woke and ... I felt okay. Weak. Warm. But I felt okay. It was like I'd just slipped back into reality and out of dreams. Opening my eyes and ...and it was normal again. The whole world was normal.

Sunlight was coming in the window through the shades. I could smell cut grass drifting in. My arms and legs were free, I lifted my head slowly, seeing raw skin around the wrists and ankles. It was still Stonehaven.

"Nick?" I tried to call, voice protesting, dry and tickly. What I'd do for water right now.

Feet pounded up the stairs and I saw him. Unwashed, unshaved, exhausted looking, rushing. He skidded to a halt as my eyes met his.

"Beard?" I asked.

Nick blinked. He took a step closer, careful, as if he was afraid I'd lash out at him. "You awake?"

"Water." I shut my eyes, head flopping back. The taste of water woke me again, a hand gentle under my head. The hand was trembling.

"Are you awake?" He asked again as my eyes opened. "Jeremy, I swear, she asked me if I had a beard."

"You do have a beard." A voice came from the doorway. I realised that my arms and legs were tied down now. "That doesn't mean she's awake yet."

"I'm awake." I was able to speak now, the water soothing my throat, trying to lift my head again. "Why bondage and a beard? Where's the babies?"

Jeremy stepped closer then, surprise echoing across his face a moment, and went to check my eyes. "You're back with us?"

"I think so." I shut my eyes and opened them. Experimenting. When I opened them and Jeremy and Nick were still in the same place, I nodded. "I'm here."

Nick's legs seemed to give way, his reaction surprising me, as he flopped down on the floor, a long shuddering sigh. He was already undoing the restraints before Jeremy could stop him.

"Let me check your temperature." Jeremy disappeared for a few minutes, jogging back into the room with the Indian doctor close behind, something pressed into my ear. "It's normal."

"We should check Clayton then. They both went down at the same time." Amar suggested and Jeremy nodded.

"You can let her up." Jeremy called as they vanished into the hallway.

"Bad fever?" I asked as Nick climbed to his feet, his legs shaking under the pants, leaning over me to undo the other restraints.

"It was like you were bitten."

"Like the snake?"

"Like a werewolf bite."

I blinked at him and let him help me up into a sitting position. "Did I change?"

"A lot." Nick grabbed me hard, hugging me, the beard tickling my face as he shuddered, breathing in my smell.

"Clayton's still sick?" My body alerted me to something then, a need I'd probably ignored a while. "Help me to the bathroom?"

"Clayton, Elena, Matt, Daniella and Vi. Everyone who was bitten." Nick looped an arm under my shoulders and helped me stand. "It spread through all of you. We're okay. The triplets are okay. Matt's already awake, he got through it easily, he's already back at school."

"Weird." I muttered. He waited, refusing to leave while I relieved myself, arms crossing and a stubborn shake of the head when I suggested it.

"You might ..." Nick hesitated. "Have some troubles."

"Troubles?"

"Matt can't smell like us. He can't hear like us. He's not strong now." He wasn't looking at me.

It took me a few seconds to get this into my head. Couldn't smell, hear ,wasn't strong? What ... "He's not a werewolf?"

"No, he is. He still can change, it takes longer, and he's still eating enough for six kids. You're still a werewolf." Nick's head shot up to me, sudden. There was grief there. Grief? "You're still one."

I breathed in slowly, trying to understand. Then it hit me what he was saying.

I couldn't smell him. I couldn't smell Nick's scent. I couldn't hear his heart, or his body, or ..."I'm not a werewolf?"

"You're still one." Nick's nostrils flared slowly, stepping closer, arms wrapping around me. "Still one. Amar's trying to figure out what's wrong. The disease seems to ...restrict you. Suppress some things. He's going to cure it." He stepped closer, helping me dress. "It's not permanent."

"I'm not strong?"

"We'll defend you." He was upset, I could see it in his face, so upset.

"I can't smell you." I breathed in slowly, trying, trying so hard. I smelt his scent, sort of, the faint smell of it against his skin, but it was nothing like it used to be. Before, it'd been rich, strong, as detailed and exposing about him as a masterpiece painting. Now, compared to then, it was like one or two smears of paint. Slightly different but not much. "Not like before."

"I know. Matt said the same thing." He muttered against my neck. "You smell exactly the same. Exactly."

We stood there, as I tried to get my body to stand without his help.

"Can Matt walk?"

"He was weak for a day but he's fine now." Nick muttered against my neck. "I made sure. He's fine."

"How long was I sick?"

"Two weeks. Matt was sick for five days." Nick leaned back. "You hungry now?"

I nodded. My stomach growled and he glanced down, the first hint of amusement there.

"You've still got cake. We'll start with that."

I let him left me onto his back, piggybacking me down, reaching out to stroke the hair he hadn't shaved. Ungroomed Nick was always a bad sign. It wasn't just me either, I knew, Clayton was sick. Elena was sick. Everyone was sick. His pack was sick.

Jeremy was downstairs and at the stove cooking as we came in. He glanced up at me. "I thought you'd be hungry."

"I'm starving." I tried to inhale it, the smell, but ...it wasn't the same anymore.

"We're figuring out a way to get your smell back." Amar's voice startled me. He was right there at the table and I hadn't heard or smelt him there.

Food was offered and I tried to eat. It was still good, somehow, but without the smell I had before...

As a human it hadn't mattered. It was like being born with no hearing and being used to that, until someone cured that, and suddenly I could hear symphonies, only to loose my hearing again after getting used to live life with sound.

Now it was gone.

But I was hungry and my body still wanted the vast amount it'd wanted before, so I ate, it getting easier as I stopped thinking about what was lacking. Nick's hand stayed in mine, clutching, his eyes on me, but I knew his ears were somewhere else. He stiffened, eyes going to Jeremy, as if they'd heard something. Jeremy nodded a stiff nod and vanished upstairs at a run.

"What is it?" I tried to hear it. I couldn't hear anything.

Nick blinked. "Clayton."

"He isn't well?"

"No." Amar said from his newspaper. "He's still feverish."

Nick's head twisted up then, suddenly, again hearing something I hadn't. He kissed the back of my hand and sped upstairs, suddenly, and then I heard it. A muffled bang, a shout.

Amar stood up and hurried upstairs, leaving me downstairs, Karl close behind him. I hadn't even heard him. I didn't know he was here. Who else was here that I couldn't hear or smell anymore? It was scary, frightening, suddenly not knowing what or who was around you. They may as well have blinded me. I tried to not panic at this. Tried, anyway, the reality was different. Where were my babies? Were they in the house? Before, when I could hear and smell like a wolf, I didn't have to be in the same room as them. I could hear them from any point in the house, smell them, know the second they needed me.

Now I didn't even know if they were in the house.

The urge to call for 'anyone there?' rose and I shoved it down. Of course people were here. Reece wouldn't have gone far from Daniella, or if he had to work, he would come back as frequently as he could. I glanced at a phone to check the day. Thursday. He might have had to go back to work.

I stood up and made my way through Stonehaven, some strength returning with food in me now, exploring. I wasn't sure what I was looking for. Maybe I was just trying to figure out where everyone was. upstairs the thumps and muffled voices were a bit louder now.

A hand closed on my shoulder and I jumped, spinning around, heart hammering hard as Reece stared at me. He was looking as awful as Nick had, though he appeared to have shaved, dark shadows under his arms.

"Did you escape your bed?" He asked, trying to smile, but there was a caution there. Like Reece was concerned I had- that maybe I was hallucinating, or something.

"I didn't hear you come. Hi."

"Hi." He hugged me, hard, lifting me up.

"Daniella still sick?"

A stiff nod and he let me back down carefully. "Everyone is. We're not sure if the mutts have it too."

The mutts? The realisation of this, of how far this was going to go, suddenly hit me. It wasn't just us. If this also attacked any bitten mutts, they'd be helpless like we were.

Elena would be helpless. Well, not really, but if mutts caught wind of her suddenly being 'human' again... and Clayton. Clayton would be especially fucked- he'd spent his entire life, almost, being able to hear, see and smell like a wolf. Daniella and myself, we'd only had three or four years, Matt the same, but those two... the alpha and the pack's enforcer, knocked out.

"This is pretty bad, isn't it?"

"We're keeping it secret for now." Reece's face answered me. "Jeremy's taking over unofficially. But we're going to have to find out if the bitten mutts have it."

"How many are there?"

"Only a few. Most mutts are hereditary." Reece glanced up. "It's not good."

I wondered if it had something to do with Demetruis showing up. He'd been gone for a good two years, then he showed up, closely followed by Lucas on orders from his father and...

"How are you feeling?"

"Weak. A little jumpy." I admitted. Glanced around. "I can't ...smell anyone. Hear where everyone is. Are my babies here?"

"In the study having a nap. Come on." Reece took my hand and led me to the study. My heart twisted painfully as he opened the door and ...no scent washed over me. No smell of my babies. They were there, asleep, curled up side by side against each other, but I couldn't smell them.

After five minutes I backed out, not wanting to wake them, glancing up at Reece who was waiting outside. I slid the door shut quietly.

"They look happy."

"We've been spoiling them rotten while you were sick." Reece replied quietly. "They knew something was wrong."

"What about Ana?"

"She had to go to school. Antonio's in New York." He replied. "She's been calling."

"I wanted to be there for her." I felt disappointed then. I knew she'd probably been nervous.

"She's okay. Tough kid." Reece reached out to pat my shoulder. "Call her tonight and she'll tell you what's been going on. Come on. Let me show you the roses. They started to bloom finally."


	4. Illness

_Ana_

I sat there watching these strangers, relaxing back, finding it like watching a different looking version of my own family. They smelt like wolf, the smell all over the place, but that didn't bother me too much.

Maybe it was because the babies were cute. Annoying, sort of, but cute. I was over babies. My little brother was that age a few years ago. It was nice to watch them when I didn't have to do anything to help. Mum had always needed my help with my little brother. But then, my little brother changed frequently into a jaguar cub whenver he wanted, and these three thankfully stayed human all the time. Three werewolf cubs, or I guessed they'd be called puppies, racing around may have forced me to help.

The picnic with the kids had been better, easier, because they didn't need or want my help. We got to go out into the bush, they showed me things, we ate, and then I amused them by turning into a jaguar. One of the other kids, Matt, could turn into a wolf cub. We waited while he changed and then we pretended to hunt Logan and Kate. Matt loved it- I showed him how to be really quiet and stealthy. Wolves had no idea.

Then they impressed me by hunting us right back, even though they couldn't change, showing how good they'd be when they got older. Swimming was great too, the four of us splashing around, the biggest fear we had was of leeches. I told them about anacondas and other big scary things in the Brazilian jungle while we swam, and watched them play games.

This hadn't just been to get to know them. I had bigger plans in mind. If they got to know me and their mum and dad saw I was good with them, I might have been able to babysit them on weekends. Make some money. I might have even babysat the triplets for an hour if they paid enough. Thirteen was old enough to care for kids for a little while! It wasn't hard. You just fed them, told them stories, and acted impressed. Or turned on a TV. Dad couldn't give me much money after he'd had to pay for the tuition fee, I only got a small amount each week, so I wanted to earn a bit extra.

Elena, the alpha, told me that Anne couldn't take me shopping after I'd gotten back. Something about her being looked for by the police. After she'd vanished in New York and I'd heard she'd beaten up a couple of losers, I knew it would probably be bad, but when I saw the bruises I sort of already knew she'd be having to stop for a while. She had babies. It was surprising that she was hoping to help.

Then, just halfway through the party, as the kids were cutting their cake, I realised how sick she and the man was. No one else seemed to notice at first, the two adults asleep, but I knew. No mum would be asleep while her kids were blowing candles out. She was sweating like crazy, so was the man, and after a while I had to shyly point this out to the older man, the ex-alpha Jeremy.

"Huh?" He glanced at me, his face wide with a grin, as he watched the triplets.

"She's sick." I pointed at Anne. "She wouldn't be asleep for this."

He blinked as he looked at me, then to Anne, who was curled up against the side of the couch. Some of the amusement faded. "You might be right. We'll see if she wants cake. If she doesn't, we'll move the party into another room, and I'll take her upstairs."

"Him too." I added, eyes going to the tall guy with the blonde curls. "They're both sick."

Maybe he couldn't smell it. I could. It made my hair stand on edge, made me want to drag the babies out then and there, the instinct in me saying to get kids out now.

Jeremy's eyes went to the guy, Clayton, and his nostrils flared as he moved closer. Another look of surprise. He hadn't noticed the smell pouring off him. None of them could.

"Can't you smell it?" I asked. "She smells like it. So does she." I pointed at Elena and Daniella. They had it too. It was like glue, sort of, and like dirt, and mould. "They all smell like it."

His eyes went to them and then to me, quieter, and gestured me to follow him out. When he spoke his voice was quieter. "You sure?"

"I can smell them from here. They're not as strong but they all have it. Don't you smell it?" I blinked.

"No. I can only smell their sweat. What's it like?"

I told him. He frowned and glanced up. Nick had come in with cake on a plate.

"She doesn't want cake. Didn't want to eat." He informed Jeremy. "She's hot. So's Clay. Clay didn't want cake either. Do you think they've got a cold?"

Jeremy's shoulders stiffened, I saw him put it together, and he told Nick to get everyone into the dining room to finish cake and food. He glanced at me.

"Elena and Daniella too?"

I nodded.

"I'll keep an eye on them. Tell me if you smell it on anyone else, but only me, I don't want them to panic."

The party continued in the dining room. It was quieter now though, now that it was obvious Anne and Clayton were sick, Elena vanishing up and downstairs as frequently as Nick was, and Antonio went upstairs occasionally too. Then Jeremy was on the phone to someone in Russia. Russia?

"So what did you need?" There was another Australian, a guy, kneeling beside me. "Jeremy told me you needed stuff. We could take you." He looked towards the Australian blonde, Daniella. "We're going back to New York tomorrow."

I was tempted to say 'She's not', the smell on Daniella getting worse all the time. It was fucked up to know, when no one else seemed to notice it, but instead I told him. It had been like sitting with Anne, smelling her odd smell, and knowing she wouldn't take us.

Elena smelt worse too, every time she came down. And when I smelt it on Matt my heart sank. I grabbed the old man, Jeremy, and told him. Matt had it. Matt's smell was getting stronger faster than anyone's smell.

By the time night came, Matt was in bed with a fever, and the sorcerer and witches that'd come for the party left quietly.

The next day Elena took me into town with Kate and Logan, Reece tagging along. No shopping in New York, they were too worried about the sick people, so I helped out with Kate and Logan while they got a list of things Jeremy had sent them in for. We got as much as we could for my school as well. It didn't bother me – that I was shopping here instead of in New York- but it was worrying. That smell was still getting stronger in Elena's smell all the time. Slowly but it was obvious. She'd even started to sweat a bit more, exhausted looking, clearly appreciating my help with the kids while Reece shopped with her. It took her hours to get it done and by the end of it, she couldn't drive, she was sweating, hot, half asleep.

We'd had to call Jeremy and Reece drove back while I held a bag of frozen peas to her face, reassuring Kate and Logan that she just had a fever. The stench of her sickness though made it hard for me to breathe. Mould, glue and dirt. Sweat. By the time we got back she was delirious, muttering things that made no sense, and Reece had to tie her up to stop her thrashing around. The kids were out of their head with fear at seeing her like that.

Jeremy was waiting when we got there, lifting her up and carrying her upstairs to where her husband was already sick, intending on keeping the two of them close.

Daniella got sick two days later, just before the Indian doctor and his Russian daughter-in-law arrived. Jeremy refused to let her go back to New York with Reece, after checking with me, and he'd made up an excuse for her to stick around and take a few more days off her job. She'd just been about to rush home when she'd gotten sick.

I ended up babysitting for free, feeding and caring for Kate and Logan, while the adults tried to help the sick ones. Reece came back within hours of finding out she was sick, spending most of his time upstairs going from room to room, ice and other things going up and down, the doctor barely getting any sleep. The triplets were upset too, but their dad and their grandpa hovered around them, Reece near them too, the three getting spoiled rotten. It was Kate and Logan who were more or less left to me.

Then I smelt it on Vi. Jeremy looked so exhausted when I went to tell him, so worn out, that I almost didn't want to say it. When I did I wished I hadn't. He stared at me, almost like I was death itself, white face draining of any remaining blood. Scratches were across his face, dark shadows under his eyes, exhausted and trying to keep going with caffeine.

"You're sure?"

I nodded.

He sighed a long drawn out sigh. "Thank you. Tell me if you smell it on others."

"I will."

It almost looked like he expected one of them to die, the look on his face then when he saw Vi, this dread. He told her though, unlike the others, and she just tossed her head and told him that she'd help as long as she could.

Kate and Logan wanted me to sleep in the room with them now, so I did, as if they needed a 'big sister' to depend on while their mum and dad were sick. Jeremy's girlfriend showed up too. They didn't ask me, they didn't want to, but they were afraid that they'd die. Four days after Anne and Clayton had gotten sick I'd started to wonder too. They were tied to beds, bleeding from gashes they'd inflicted on themselves, fevers raging so high that we'd be woken up at three in the morning as they were dragged into a shower to lower their temperatures again. Five adults and Matt meant that there was a lot of showers, a lot of fear, a lot of sleep lost.

Matt seemed to get better though, fast, and this seemed to calm Kate and Logan down. After a week he woke up, was starving, and was walking around the house with a walking stick, trying to joke and play.

It took us a day to realise that he couldn't hear us like he used to, or smell things, or that he wasn't getting stronger. Matt was the first one to realise it. He was like Kate and Logan all of a sudden, like he was still human, and when Jeremy realised this … when we pointed it out to him...

Again I wished I hadn't said anything. He'd lost all his blood in his face again and taken Matt away to test it. That was the night before I started school and, while I knew they wanted me to stay, Kate and Logan upset when they were reminded, they didn't want me to miss the first day. So Antonio and I got on a plane for New York, neither of us really wanting to go, and we had to leave them.

"You excited?" Antonio asked as he glanced at me, while we sat on the plane, watching the city get lower and lower under us. When I shook my head he sighed. "Nervous?"

"I haven't been able to think about that." I hated to admit it but Kate and Logan reminded me of my own little brother. I was worried about them now. "Kate and Logan are just a bit older than my brother."

"I didn't want to leave either. Call them in the morning before you go. I'll call Jeremy tonight and let him know to watch them." Antonio sighed. "They go to school tomorrow too. That should help."

I knew Jeremy wouldn't be able to do much more than he already had.

"Do you know how to get there?" When I shook my head again he nodded. "I'll drive you. We'll do public transport after a while."

"You don't have to." I glanced at him. "You work."

"You've been really helpful. I'll drive you." Antonio tried to smile. "That's the good thing about being the boss. I can be a little later."

"Thanks."

We got into the New York airport just after eight and had dinner on the way back to the apartment, picking up pizza again, I guessed he was trying to make me feel better. It didn't help. After being the one telling Jeremy that everyone was getting sick I felt guilty. What if I'd brought it? What if I caused it? This overrode any nerves I had about tomorrow and meeting new people...

I did fall asleep though and when I woke up, the nerves finally caught up with me, realising that I was going to school. Today. For the first time. High School. I suddenly started to panic, trying to make my hair less frizzy, the curls all over the place, tried to figure out what to wear, what to take, what to pack, and what about lunch? For a second I forgot that lunch was covered, throwing a banana in my bag. I wished Anne was here now. Antonio didn't get it. She'd get it. This was an all girls school. All girls. This meant I had to look good. I called Stonehaven and got Nick. He always wore fashionable stuff. It amused him when I asked him, but he seemed to have good ideas, and he seemed eager to help even if he sounded exhausted. Told me to use one of Anne's bags in her wardrobe, apparently he'd bought it for her a few weeks ago and she refused to use it because it was expensive. I had no problems with that right now.

Kate and Logan talked to me as I packed, Matt in the background eating still, and after a while we had to hang up and go to school.

My heart sank as we got into the car and pulled out. Now I really wished I could talk to Anne. Nick had helped with a bag, some leather bag, but Anne would get it. Girls always did.

The day didn't go so bad though. Home room, we had a young male teacher, most of the girls giggling. I was a bit too stunned and out of my home by this point to notice or care. At least with Anne's pack, it was sort of like ours, except that jaguars preferred smaller family groups. Now I was in with a group of American teenage humans and ...it was a bit scary. They thought my family had been scary, sneaking in the jungles, killing people with the brain bites, they had no clue what girls my age were like.

The other shock was that I was called 'black'. Black? This was not something I had even thought about. I was the black girl from Brazil. I was used to the 'they're humans and we're not' separation. Not the 'you're black and we're white'. I couldn't resist retorting that I was actually orange with black and white spots, which made the other girls laugh, and they seemed to relax then.

I did play soccer. Maybe this was a bit silly, because the Americans thought _all_ Brazilians played soccer, but I liked it. I won some points there too by agreeing to try out for the soccer team. Lunch was some catered meal, chicken curry, I'd never seen anything like it before. Then other classes, straight into the work, and I had homework straight away. No time to relax. They wanted us working the second we got in.

By the time the end of the day was over, I had a few phone numbers and emails, and stumbled into Antonio's car exhausted.

"How's it go?" He glanced at me.

"Okay. Any news?"

Antonio shook his head.

We drove back in silence.

It took a week before we found out news, a week of homework and a new routine.

* * *

><p><em>Anne<em>

I didn't get to rest or recover. I didn't want it. The second I could walk around without help, which took half an hour, and the assistance of a walking stick to keep upright if I lost my balance, I was put to work and I relished in it. Laundry. Cooking. Domestic stuff. The laundry shocked me though, it was suddenly heavy, the basket of wet clothing almost knocking me over. It was probably more than a human would have carried but before this, I did it without thinking, the large industrial washer needed for the amount of people who could be here at any time. Right now it was sheets and baby clothing that needed washing. Lots of them. Nick followed me around as much as he could but that wasn't much.

I tried to help upstairs. Elena, Daniella and Vi were still at full strength, I got thrown across the room at one point while trying to re-tie a restraint around Elena's ankle, but Clayton wasn't. He still threw me off several metres, which said something for the guy's strength, but Jeremy or Nick easily held him down. Jeremy thought that was a sign he wasn't far from coming out of it again. They weren't like that all the time though. Most of the time they were just asleep, feverish, muttering, trying to get up and wander around. No wonder why Reece thought I might have 'escaped the bed'. Daniella seemed an expert at getting herself loose and he'd had to chase her down more than once that afternoon while she wandered around outside, delirious, completely unaware of the world around her.

The babies were heavier too. I struggled to carry one and they were used to me able to carry two of them around all the time.

By the time the first night had come and Matt was back, the triplets had taken up any last energy reserves I'd gotten from the food and I was buggered, asleep on the couch downstairs while they played.

"You lost your strength too?" He asked as I glanced up. "Me too. Jeremy says they're going to cure it."

"I hope so." The words slipped out before I could think about it. Funny how I'd gotten so used to it and now...how did people do this? Keep up with three toddlers? Wash all their clothing? Clean? Cook?

Matt slid onto the couch beside me and yawned. Kate and Logan came in a minute later and glanced at me. I saw it, the sudden hope that Clayton was awake, and they were upstairs before I could call them down.

"Is Clayton awake?" Matt asked quietly.

"Not yet."

"Bugger." He muttered. I smiled at him, at the Aussie slang, reaching over to hug him closer. "That's all they could talk about today."

"Can you change still? Jeremy said you could."

"It takes longer and hurts more." Matt admitted. "But you can smell things again, and hear things, and it's worth it."

I suddenly longed for it, to change, to be a wolf. I couldn't even feel the wolf inside, right now, it was all gone. Just a great gnawing hunger that had more to do with it than just food. I couldn't hear Nick.

"Mama?" Lily held her arms up and I groaned.

I tried to lift her and found I couldn't do it.

"I can't lift you, baby, sorry."

"Up!" She demanded, again, jerking her arms up at me. Two other pair of arms showed up at that point too. They were making their 'please or I'll cry' faces again. Tantrums were just around the corner...

And Nick showed up, much to my relief, at a run. He glanced at me and lifted the three of them up at once, making them laugh, tantrum averted. Three of them? There was that crazy werewolf strength again. "Mama's still tired. I'll carry you around." He informed them, somehow managing to keep all three safe in his arms.

"Mama might need picking up too." I admitted and he glanced at me, the crease appearing between his eyebrows again, worry there. I had to relax him, play it down, make him think I was somewhat useful still. "After all the washing you didn't do."

Nick relaxed somewhat. "I'll bring it in."

"It's okay. Matt can help me." I glanced at Matt and he glared at me, flopped back under the fan. "And he gets extra meatballs tonight for it."

That made him jump up. "Okay."

"Let's see if they're dry yet. Sun's warm enough." I got up and headed outside, walking stick in one hand, ignoring Nick's face as he saw me use it. I couldn't stand the idea that he thought I was weak right now. There were bigger problems upstairs. How would Clayton take it? Elena? Daniella? Vi? I could cope, I'd adapt, there were always ways to do things. I'd buy a washing trolley. Stay flexible with yoga. Find ways to increase strength in other ways. They were the ones, particularly Clayton, who I worried about. He was already weak.

Matt helped me, the two of us folding them as we got them off the line, it made it easier to heap them up. Logan and Kate reappeared, clearly disappointed, and shocked me when they started to help too. Jeremy had told them to stay downstairs till dinner.

They didn't leave my side for the rest of the day, clinging close, trying to help, never more than a few metres away. When I offered to help with homework it seemed to cheer them up. Let them help me roll up meatballs. Watched as they stayed in the kitchen, even though they'd have normally happily run off into the bush with Matt, they weren't clingy kids. They were independent and confidant, like their parents. Today though... they weren't either of those things.

I rang Ana as we cooked. She'd been at school for a week now, had been approved for the soccer team, and had tons of homework. She sounded relieved to hear my voice, wanted to know what she should wear, if I thought this girl liked her or was being mean, and then Kate and Logan took the phone and vanished with Matt. Nick reappeared with toddlers for feeding, I tried to help, but again it exhausted me.

I'd taken it for granted, the amounts of strength and endurance that came with the bite, and now... now I missed it, with the two year olds screaming when I didn't want to pick up two of them, tantrums starting, Nick having to vanish upstairs again in a hurry and leaving me alone with them. I almost hated them, which sounded awful, but all my body wanted to do was curl up and sleep. Not chase around three demanding two year olds who were used to Mama or adults giving itno their every whim.

They blinked when I finally snapped and yelled, big blue eyes and big brown eyes filling with tears,then I burst into tears, Jeremy finding the four of us in tears.

"You, back into bed." He pointed, gentle. "You've done plenty to help."

"The meatballs only need ..."

"We've got it. Thankyou."

"And the triplets..."

Jeremy pushed me out of the kitchen.

I wandered upstairs. The shower was going, bathroom door open, Clayton in it. Nick and Reece were on either side of him.

"He needs cooling down." Nick explained as I blinked at them. "We had to do this to you too."

"Can I help?"

They opened their mouths, then their heads twitched, and Reece shook his head. "Jeremy says go to bed."

I hadn't heard him. They had. Swallowing the tears, I turned and trudged to bed, finding the sheets changed to one of the ones I'd washed earlier, the restraints gone. I crawled into it, sliding onto my side, sleep taking me over the second my head hit the pillow.

I was woken by the smell of meatballs and the mattress sagging. No scent with them, just meatballs, floating into the room. Not floating, not really, but it was strange to smell the food and not the person with it. Was it Jeremy? Nick? Reece? Hadn't I seen Karl before?

"Wake up. Dinner is served." It was Nick, snuggling up to my side, shaking me gently.

"I'm awake." I muttered. I opened my eyes and gazed up at him. "Was just trying to figure out who you were."

He frowned. It'd been so long since he'd been 'human' that he probably couldn't even remember what it was like. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." I sat up and took one of the forks. He had a huge bowl of meatballs and pasta, apparently for both of us, and we ate side by side, Nick's arm around me. I found that if I kept my ear against his side I could hear his heart again, and it relaxed me, snuggling closer. "Now I can hear your heart."

He smiled at that. "Good."

"Can we count this as a second date?" I muttered. I didn't care if it was just lying on a bed eating meatballs or not.

"It's a second date then." He replied, hugging me closer. "It might not last long but-"

"Something wrong?" I strained to hear. Did he hear something I couldn't? "Is someone calling you? In trouble?"

"No." Nick blinked. "No, just warning you."

"Oh." I sighed and shut my eyes. Concentrated on his heartbeat.

"I'm going to have to put the babies to bed soon, that's all. I'll come back." He added. "Jeremy's letting me have six hours rest soon. It's nearly time for bed. Reece is entertaining them."

"I couldn't cope with them alone."

"You just woke up." He reminded me, offering another meatball. "They're tiring. Don't be hard on yourself."

"Nick?"

"Yeah?" He glanced down, pushing it against my lips, grinning a bit. "Open up."

I opened up and let him shove it in my mouth, very aware of what he was thinking at that point, and it amused me enough relax me a bit. Maybe he was right. I'd been awake for a few hours and expected to be okay straight away? When it was gone I nudged at him.

"Shut the door."

He got up, shut the door, locked it and jumped back onto the bed, food forgotten. "What?"

"Second date. You get a kiss." I sat up a bit straighter, pushing exhaustion aside. "In the shower. I need a shower and you need a kiss."

He grinned at that. "Shower?"

"How long till you've got to put the babies to bed?"

"Half an hour." He glanced at his watch, as he unbuttoned his shirt, throwing it aside. "I think that's enough time for a shower. I don't remember us doing this for a second date though."

My head jerked up at that, as he slid his pants down his hips, attention grabbed from undressing. "You remember the second date?"

"It came back to me a few days ago when I saw a boat on TV." He winked. "I'll take care of our third date. It'll have to last all day though, if we're repeating it, I won't have just a few hours."

"How much else do you remember?" I asked, sliding down clothing, leaning on the bed so I could manage. This wasn't fast enough for Nick, who had slid his boxers down and was hurrying over to help, hands dragging across my body a little slower than necessary.

"You forgot me, how our third date went, and how that night went." Nick lifted me up with one arm, yanking panties off with the other, easily handling both tasks. "I remember how we met now and how we re-met. After that, I don't remember much. Want me to carry you?"

I nodded and he lifted my legs up, our bare skin brushing against each other, my head resting back against his chest so I could hear his body again. Any excuse to hear it. Any excuse to be close enough to smell him.

"Just a kiss." I reminded him as he lowered me and got the shower going for us. "And a shower."

Nick did kiss me, taking advantage of the fact that I didn't tell him _where_ to kiss, and by the time he was down there, I couldn't resist. His hands had teased me enough while 'scrubbing' to melt anyway any resistance to this kind of kiss. He'd had to hold me up, my legs over his shoulders, laughing as my legs gave way when I felt something firm and wet dip inside me, he'd slid up quickly to catch me and adjust my position so he could keep going.

Briefly, I remembered what I'd tasted on his lips at the nightclub, but that thought vanished as release flooded through me, any annoyance gone again by his eagerness to make sure I enjoyed the 'kiss'. Then he stood up, arm under my arms, holding me up.

"You want a kiss?" I asked and he blinked at me. Grinned wider.

"What kind of kiss?"

I wanted to do the same for him, I wanted to try it, but I knew we'd run out of time. So I leaned up and teased him with a chase kiss instead, feeling a groan in his chest as he tried to pin me there, and slipped out carefully before he could suggest something else.

"That's it?"

"You've got to put babies to bed first. I'll give you a better one later." I winked at him, a shy wink, my cheeks heating as that wide face splitting grin returned. That was something I'd never done for him. Never. I'd thought about it, quite a lot actually, because I knew he'd like it. Other women had probably done it too. But ...inexperience made me shy about trying it.

If he had to go put babies to bed then maybe I could google it. Or something.

"A better one, hm?" Nick turned off the shower. "I better hurry then."

"Good luck."

He helped me dress in the slip he'd bought me months ago and dressed, hurrying, practically running down the stairs. I heard his feet then. He was stomping all over the place.

I climbed back into bed and grabbed for my phone. Good old smart phones with internet. Immediately I had what I needed. The suggestions, even if I knew it well now, were enough to make me blush and feel nervous all over again. This was the kind of thing I didn't like- doing something new, when I didn't know how to do it.

Nick may have tried to hurry this part but the toddlers weren't co-operating. Then he was called in for help again, I could hear him swearing, loud enough for even me to hear. I curled up on my side and waited, trying to stay awake.

I woke hours later, Nick curled up against my back, my heart sinking as I glanced at the phone. I'd fallen asleep. Poor guy...

"Go back to sleep." Nick muttered from behind me. "It can wait for the third date. I need sleep too."

I went back to sleep.

We were woken up suddenly by the sound of our door slamming open, a familiar accent, groggy and slurred as if he was drunk, Clayton's voice slamming my head out of dreams.

"What the hell is wrong with Elena?"

I slid up out of bed, Nick climbing out the other side, his hands out.

"Careful, Liz." He called to me. "You there, Clay?"

Clayton blinked at him, shaking his head, acting and looking drunk. "What the hell is wrong with Elena?"

"Clay?" I stepped closer, reaching out to touch an arm. "She's sick."

Clayton shoved me back, hard, enough strength to send me flying onto my bum. Nick grabbed onto him, Clayton fighting for all he was worth, though it wasn't nearly enough strength to stop Nick from grabbing his arms and holding him down.

"Jeremy!"

"Clay?" I stood up, blinking. His hand had felt pretty hot.

"He's still out of it, Liz, stay away." Nick hissed, struggling with the big guy, pinning his arms down. "Jeremy, Clayton's up."

"Coming." Jeremy called, sounding exhausted. "How hot is he?"

"On fire again."

"Into your bathroom." Jeremy grabbed one of Clayton's arms and directed him past me into the guest bedroom's ensuite. "Liz, go see what Elena's doing."

I went past into Clayton and Elena's bedroom. She wasn't there.

"Shes' in her old room." Jeremy shouted and I headed on to her old room.

She looked confused, stumbling around, touching furniture, muttering. Nothing she said made sense, it was just a jumble of words, about wind, and gone, and females, and Clayton.

"She's here." I called and she swung around, eyes not fixing on me, confusion.

"Is she making sense?" Reece was hurrying up behind me, tugging on a shirt. "Sorry. I fell asleep."

"No." We watched her move around the room, touching things, not being violent... but not looking that good either. Jeremy hadn't replaced the old furniture that'd been exactly piece for piece- there was another four poster bed but the furniture had less curves and was sharper, not as feminine, no china dolls on the dresser.

"She's okay." Reece sighed. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled be back further.

"Did I wander around like this?"

"A bit, yeah." He grinned. "Mostly looking for Nick. Clayton looks for Elena, usually in the cage. Elena, you never know, and Daniella ...well, she attacks. We've had to leave her tied up. Shit."

He tugged me behind him, suddenly, stiffening, as we saw something. Nick and Jeremy, holding onto a giant blonde wolf, their faces red with effort as they tried to hold Clayton. Reece grabbed Claytons' head, trying to get a belt around the snapping jaws.

"Cage?"

At their nod he backed down, the belt holding Clayton's muzzle shut.

"Don't go into that room." Reece snapped back at me.

I watched Elena, or tried to, but she'd fallen. For a second I forgot the order, just a moment, stepping in a fraction, then stepped back again. I was told to stay out.

But what if she was hurt? Collapsed? Convulsing? Reece wasn't one who could order me anyway.

"Mummy?" A small voice came from beside me. I turned to see Kate standing there beside me, clutching the rail, trying to see.

"Don't go in. I'll check her." I reassured her, touching her shoulder, her eyes coming up to look at me.

"Okay." She seemed to accept that. Kate was shaking.

I stepped in slowly, quietly, stepping around the bed. Elena was convulsing there, body contorting, changing. She wasn't far off from being a wolf herself, I could see it, the panic and rage in her eyes as she caught my smell too close, a snarl. No sense of Elena there.

I backed up and grabbed Kate, lifting her up, knowing the wolf would probably be after me. Maybe touching her chidlren would upset her, maybe she wouldn't be aware of them and would go after me, maybe she'd attack Kate if Kate didn't stay in her room... I wasn't sure and didn't have time to ask Elena.

I hurried into the kid's room, Logan wide awake too, yelling something downstairs to Jeremy about Elena changing.

"Mum's changing?" Logan asked. He paled as I shut the door and locked it.

"It's safer if we let her wander around." I explained. There was fear in their faces though. I put Kate down and she hurried over to sit beside Logan as I stood beside the door, determined to keep it shut till one of the stronger ones got up. "She's sick."

"We know." Logan tugged Kate over, holding her hand, the scene cute at any other time but now. Now there was a wolf outside the door, growling, trying to push the door in.

"Anne?"

The growl froze, at the same time my heart leapt into my throat. Oh shit. Matt.

"Matt..." Kate whispered.

The wolf vanished, suddenly, a growl, running feet and the sound of a heavy body slamming against something.

"Don't open this door." I didn't need to say it but I did anyway as I slid out the door, slamming it shut, deliberately trying to get Elena's attention. She was snapping and snarling at Matt's door, trying to shove it in, while Matt struggled to push it shut. The blonde head whirled around as the door slammed behind me, blue eyes not recognising me like they might have, almost sick looking. Sick wolves were not safe ones. Particularly when they were starving, as she probably was, if she was too sick to eat...

Matt probably looked like a chicken wing to a sick wolf.

I heard him scream as she pulled him out, throwing him onto the ground, and I flew at her, using all my weight to knock her away into Jeremy's room, the two of us rolling away from Matt, anxiety flooding through me for him- I couldn't smell if he was bleeding or hurt or... I fell over her head, rolling a bit more than she did, hitting the side of Jeremy's bed and feeling it hit my nose. Blood welled out.

Matt slammed the door shut. He was good enough to run. That had to be a good sign.

Elena got up as I did, inhaling in the smell of my blood slowly, lips curling up in a growl, ears flat back, fur already risen along her back. I felt my own lip curl up, automatically, my own growl rise up and answer it. A challenge, threatening her, threatening her to try it. Bluffing, silly move, but she was trying to get to Matt...

Elena lunged at me, snapping, knocking me off my feet as teeth went for my throat. I wished I had a belt, suddenly, the strength of her much more than I could take, all I could really do was grab her head by the ruff and keep her head back enough away from my throat. I could feel it though, feel the wind her snapping teeth caused, the sensation that came with flying specks of spit hitting my skin, claws digging in as she tried to get her teeth in somewhere soft and sensitive. She was strong. I hissed in pain as claws dug in harder, all my strength in just keeping Elena half an inch from my neck, though it felt like she was getting closer to the soft skin with every snap. How long was passing? A minute? Two? Sweat beaded off me, I used my knees to push her up higher as she got just a bit too close, I felt her nose against my neck for a second, or was it a tongue?

Something flew over her, a brown strap flying around her muzzle, Reece sliding it shut with a snap, his legs tight around Elena's sides. He didn't just look like a crocodile hunter, he acted like it too, legs tightening harder and falling to the side, forcing her to roll with him to get her off me, his legs pinning her against his stomach as she struggled to get the belt off her muzzle with her paws. I grabbed for her paws, holding them, so that she couldn't get her jaw free again.

"Aussies." Nick was grabbing me, yanking me back, Jeremy taking my place. "Can't resist."

"Shut up." Reece grinned at me, his tanned face white, clearly amused. "Good one."

"She went for Matt." I explained, trembling, as Nick lifted my chin to check the bloody nose.

"He came down for us. Smart kid climbed out the window." Nick explained. "We couldn't hear over Clayton's growls."

"Did she bite you?"

"Only tried." I reached up to wipe my forehead, breathing hard, Nick pressing a tissue against my nose. Now that I knew Matt was safe, I felt exhausted all over again, like I could curl up then and there and sleep. All the adrenaline vanished as fast as it'd come.

"It's just a blood nose, Nick, help _us_." Reece grunted as Elena's head swung back and hit him hard in the face. "Ow."

Nick blinked, as if he'd remembered Elena was there, and grabbed for her back legs. "Cage or ..."

"Her room. Cage's occupied." Jeremy grunted. "Anne, help Reece get up."

I went behind him and tried to lift as best I could. This didn't work as well now- he was a fully grown man over six feet- but he pushed with legs, I pulled with arms, and we got him and Elena up.

They carried her in, I found Matt standing in the hallway, not looking at all afraid. In fact he almost looked ...excited. No, that was the wrong word, but alert. Not a single thing about him screamed fear.

I thought I understood. For a moment, just a few minutes, I almost felt ...like I used to. I almost felt stronger again, almost felt like I had before I got sick, even if I was weaker. The adrenaline had triggered something that was closer to the werewolf than the human.

He grinned at me, face flushed, and I grinned back weakly.

"Good work." Right now though... "You should be in bed. Did she hurt you?"

"She didn't even get through my shoe." He lifted up his foot to show me.

"When did you put that on?"

"I wanted to go for a walk outside." He explained. "You can hear more at night."

That made sense to me, I missed hearing things, and I reminded myself to go with him one night. Not tonight though. "Go to bed tonight. Actually..." I glanced at Kate and Logan's door. "Take your stuff and sleep in their room."

"Okay." He agreed.

Jeremy and Reece suddenly backed out, fast, Nick waiting at the door, the door being slammed shut. A body thumped against it, a growl, Elena unimpressed.

"She's lost her strength." Jeremy muttered.

"I didn't notice." I blinked. Had she? "You sure?"

"You wouldn't have been able to hold her up like that if she was fine." He glanced at me and came over to check my neck. "Lucky for you. Nick, go calm your babies down while I check Anne, okay?" Nick's eyes went back to me, before he turned and headed down the hallway, heading for the other half of Stonehaven. Where the triplets were. I couldn't hear them. Were they scared? Upset?

"Are they awake?"

Jeremy nodded and blocked me when I went to pass. "First, we get your bloody nose cleaned up."

I followed him downstairs, Reece following Nick to check on Daniella, and heard snarls and growls from the basement.

"Clayton is loud. I can hear him. Is he weak?"

"No." Jeremy shook his head. "Not like Elena. She seems to have lost it faster." He pressed a cool cloth against my nose. "Press down on the top of your nose here." He showed and then headed for the fridge. "I'll get you something to eat."

"I'm-" I was going to say not hungry, but now that he mentioned it, my stomach was growling. Was I hungry? "I guess I am hungry." I pressed down on my nose as I watched him throw things on a plate. "Jeremy?"

"Mm?" He glanced at me as he sliced up tomato.

"What would happen if I got bit now?"

"I don't know. Don't try it- we've got enough to worry about upstairs." He shot me a look. "Don't even think about it. Nick's on orders to keep biting out of it."

"I just ..." I hesitated. Maybe it was bad to mention it. Clayton and Elena were both in a bad way now, so was Daniella and Vi. "Nevermind. That looks good, thanks." He'd slid me a sandwich and was making a few more, eating one as he made them.

"We're working on curing it. The mutts, when they captured you, collected more information on werewolf biology than anyone. We've got most of it and Lucas is trying to find a way to get the rest, trying to get more off the laptops he found on the boat." Jeremy sat beside me, leaving the plate on the bench, coffee in one hand. "Amar's been trying to go through it and understand what's different now, between your blood then and it now."

"Guess there's one good thing about being captured by a group with a mad scientst." I muttered, trying to smile, and he smiled wekaly back. "There's always oen good thing."

"True."

"Is it spreading?" Jeremy's shoulders stiffened and he glanced up. "That a yes?" I blinked. Karl, the one I barely had met, wasn't here. Hadn't he been here? "Where's Karl?"

"Investigating a report. It might be." He replied. Quieter now. "Not many mutts are bitten though so we're unsure. If we warn them, they'll know we've lost Clayton and Elena, and if we don't..."

"They might be taken to a hospital?"

"They might be taken to a hospital and expose us. We have assistance. Lucas and Paige have already been keeping an eye out." Jeremy caught a yawn from me and blinked, shaking his head, as if he hadn't meant to speak about it this much. "It's not something you need to worry about. Head up to bed."

"You should sleep."

He smiled then, reaching over, squeezing my leg. "I will sleep, soon, but I'll go sit with the kids for a while. Take them some food and wait with them till Elena is asleep. Goodnight, Anne."

I headed upstairs with my sandwich, wiped my face clear of the blood, and crawled back into bed with it. Nick came in a few minutes later, tugging me close, trembling, his heart racing as his fingers traced over my neck.

"It's okay."

"Lucky you wrestled all those crocodiles in Australia, Aussie." He rested his head beside mine, breathing in slowly, shutting his eyes. "Goodnight."

"Night." I yawned, shut my eyes too, and settled down with him.

The next morning more energy had returned, I was much more refreshed, and Nick looked it too. He was already up and about when I woke up, triplets in the room with us, toddler gate on the door, the three of them occipied and happy. The girls sat at their little table, Nick must have brought it in for them, eating breakfast, drawing on the table as they ate. Dominic was asleep on my arm with his thumb in his mouth, fast asleep, traces of breakfast still on his face. When I shifted, Dominic grumbled something in his sleep, around his thumb, baby talk that had no real meaning. Unlike his sisters, who were already real talkers, he seemed to prefer noises and the occasional word. I thought it was cute. He liked to sing though, making up words, singing with me when they were having a bath.

They'd forgotten yesterday, when I'd screeched at them, not caring now.

Nick was sitting at the desk and going through emails. He glanced back as he heard me wake. "Elena's awake."

"Properly awake?"

He nodded and I smiled, relief flooding through me.

"Only Elena?"

"It's a good start. You and Elena. She's keeping Clayton calmer just by being in the basement with him."

Dominic lifted his head to stare up at me, sleepy brown eyes in mine, before he wriggled across to Nick's side and went back to sleep now that he wasn't being disturbed by a talking person.

"Does she know?"

Nick nodded. "She's more worried about Clayton right now and the kids. They've glued themselves to her. Jeremy's letting them stay home today so they can see she's all right."

"Good." I flopped back, shut my eyes, relieved she was back. "Is she like..."

"You and Matt? Yeah." He shut the laptop and crawled onto the bed on the side Dominic hadn't claimed, half off the edge of the bed, so I wriggled across for him. "I think so. Hard to tell, she's so focused on Clayton."

"Daniella? Vi?"

"Still feverish as ever. Reece is with them. Jeremy had them put in the same room to make it easier." He rested his chin on my arm. "Dad says hello, he's glad you're awake."

"I'll call Ana and Antonio later." I muttered, yawned, Nick's finger tracing across my neck again. I leaned down to nip it gently, licking it, careful not to break the skin. Truthfully... I was afraid, afraid that if I bit him, I might make him sick. He seemed to like what I was suggesting with his finger though.

"Practising?"

"Got to practice with something." I opened one eye, as he dipped his finger deeper against my tongue, his mind somewhere else. I smiled, licked it, feeling his hips press against mine slowly. "Calm down. Babies in room."

Nick glanced over me at Dominic and the girls playing and flopped back. "I'm just glad you're awake." He admitted.

I was more worried about the implications of this disease, than whether I was awake or not, but I didn't mention that. I let him relax against my side, his breathing slowly, falling back to sleep. Dominic on one side, Nick on the other, the girls drawing things as they ate... this was how it was supposed to be. This was why I wanted to protect the pack so much. If mutts found out about us- if they knew us women were 'weak', what would they want? What would they try and do with our girls?

Weaker or not, that didn't make us helpless, I reminded myself.

Ana seemed to call then, and she was in the car with Antonio, trying to get my help with homework she was trying to finish on the drive in. I helped her, curling up to watch Dominic sleep beside me, reaching out to stroke his baby soft hair. Apparently her home room teacher was nice and she didn't want to dissapoint him with late work... well, okay. I didn't get it, I didn't even know what home room was, but the questions were easy enough. Strangely appropriate too. Something to do with the use and misuse of power and what was power anyway. Was that the kind of thing they did in home room? Talk about that? Apparently not, he'd asked, and said answering was optional. Ana wanted to answer after she'd heard what happened to us.

She was gone within a few minutes and I shut my eyes to get a few extra minutes nap before the day really started for us.


	5. Weakness

I went downstairs after two minutes of trying to sleep, carefully sliding out from toddler and husband's arms, glancing back at the two of them and taking a quick photo.

"Mama?" Lily glanced up. She held up her arms. "On bed?" Susie put her crayon down and wandered up to the bed, trying to climb up, a book in her hands. Compared to yesterday, everything did feel a bit better, a stronger. They weren't as heavy.

I picked them up one by one, letting them get into the bed with their sleepy Dad, then started to dress in the bathroom. Nick glanced up at me as two girls wandered over to him and flopped against him with the book.

"Going to see Elena." I explained and he nodded, yawned, and rolled onto his stomach as they climbed on him.

I tried to jump over the toddler gate like I used to, hesitating, it was too high now. So I went through it instead and went downstairs.

Elena sat on the outside of the cage, white faced, her hair unwashed, watching Clayton. She didn't notice me till I put my hand on her shoulder and she jumped, panic flooding through her face a moment, before she realised who it was.

"Sorry." She muttered and smiled a fraction, trying her best. Behind her Kate and Logan were sitting, pressed up against her, reading books. "Didn't hear you."

"I know." I glanced at Clayton. He was changed back into a human now, his body sweating, restraints keeping him down. "Do you three want some breakfast?"

"Yes." She stood up, nodding, pulling her hair behind her head and tucking it behind her ears. There was a cane there, the same one I'd needed yesterday, and Elena picked it up with a glare at it. We headed upstairs away from him. "I can't smell him." Elena said quietly as she got further away, hesitating, as if she wanted to go back down again. "I can't even hear him now."

I started to make pancakes as Elena sat down again, rubbing her head, looking like she was fighting the urge to go back down there. I twisted my head up, trying to hear Nick's voice, knowing he was probably reading to the triplets now if Susie got her way. I couldn't hear him either. He wasn't far away but ...

"I can't hear Nick." I said quietly as the pancakes sizzled in the pan. Tried to reassure her that it was okay, when really, it wasn't. We knew that. "You can smell them when you get close."

"I-" Elena paused, glancing at the kids that had followed us, and cut off. "Can you two go upstairs for a bit?" They nodded and headed away, reluctantly, clearly not liking this. "I don't know how Clayton's going to take this."

"How old was he when he was bitten again?"

"Six."

In other words, almost everything Clayton knew revolved around viewing the world as a wolf, rather than a werewolf who'd once been a human. The rest of us had a little more experience with this kind of life, this life of silence, dull smells, dull tastes, weak limbs, no wolf pacing in the back of our head urging us to behave differently. Or maybe only I had the wolf there.

We went quiet, listening to what we could in the house, feet upstairs for a moment, the sound of wind outside, a bird nearby. Jeremy came in through the back door, sudden, noisy, and we both jumped as his appearance came unexpected. He blinked at us, probably hearing my heart hammering, a washing basket in his arms. "You two okay?"

"Getting used to not hearing you coming." Elena replied.

"Want some breakfast?" I asked and Jeremy nodded. I went back to it, concentrating, trying to ignore the anxiety that had built up again. How was it going to be in public? Better? Worse? No crash of smells and sounds on me, sure, but also ...no crash of smells and sounds. They told us who was who, and who to avoid, and who was saying what... here, in the house, it was sort of safe.

Ham and pancakes, I dished them out, knowing that Elena would like it. She smiled again, relaxing a little, taking the plate and trying to eat. Jeremy sat close to her, focus on her, and I took the basket into the laundry.

"What about your breakfast?" Jeremy called. He was a bit soft, it took me a moment to know what he'd said.

"I'll get it in a sec."

"Nope, come back and eat it." Elena called, louder than Jeremy.

I came back and ate. She ordered, I did what I was told. Usually.

The two of us jumped again when Nick grabbed Elena, lifting her up, kissing her and staring at us like we were crazy.

"What?"

"Don't sneak up on us like that." Elena replied, pushing at him. "Put me down."

"Just glad to see you're back with the awake." He grinned at her, swung her around again, until one of her fists got him in the jaw. "Ow."

"Put her down." Jeremy smiled a little.

Nick dropped Elena and headed for me, but I held up a fork covered in ham instead, which he allowed to distract him a moment. Then he slid in beside me and tried to pinch some more.

"Where are the babies?"

"Reading in bed." Nick replied. Then he froze two seconds before I heard what he was hearing. A wail, a very loud upset toddler. "Be right back." He hurried away and returned with three toddlers in arms, Dominic's forehead red, his arms going for me. Automatically my nostrils flared, trying to smell them, trying to get the scent in my senses... but nothing. Grief flooded through me. I wanted their smells back.

"What happened?" Jeremy asked as I lifted up Dominic and sat back down, inspecting the red mark on his forehead, brushing his hair gently.

"He fell out of bed." Nick replied, adjusting the girls in his arms.

"Did you?" I asked Dominic, who nodded, tears running down his face. "Did you hit your head?" Another nod. I kissed the red spot and snuggled him close as I ate, offering him bites.

"Mommy's little boy." Elena commented as Dominic settled down. I saw her nostrils flare when Kate and Logan entered and recognised that distress in her face again as she couldn't smell them. Maybe that was the worst part of it. The smell of our 'puppies' gone.

"They keep telling me they can cure it." I said quietly, holding Dominic closer, breathing in with his head under my nose. Not the same smell. It worked to calm me down a little though.

She nodded, opening her arms up for her twins, the two of them gladly hugging her. "We'll go upstairs."

"You sure?" Jeremy asked. He stiffened, just his shoulders, eyes meeting Nick. It was so sudden, that I tried to listen automatically, tried to hear what they were hearing. "It's probably a good idea." When he caught my eye, he slid backwards out of her line of sight, and held a finger to his lips.

Yep. Something was going on.

Elena nodded. "I ...think I need another sleep." She stood up with the plate and headed outside, not glancing back at us, kids on either side of her.

"What's going on?" I asked as she vanished.

"We're not sure." Nick replied quietly. He put the girls down in the living room, came back for Dominic, and took him, all jokes aside. Jeremy had moved to the front of the house and glanced out. "A car. And..." He snorted then, suddenly, reaching for a camera and pointing it out the window. "Something for the photo albums."

"What is it?" I hurried to the front as well. Saw someone there, buck naked, wandering around, nearly falling over with every step.

"Clayton." Jeremy growled. "Didn't you lock the cage, Nick?"

"I might have forgotten. We'll grab him. Get a towel." Nick took a few photos and yanked the door open, a grin on his face, as if this was funny to him.

"Put that away, Nick, he's sick." Jeremy growled again. "Towel, Anne."

I decide to grab a sheet instead- that guy was giant. I hurried back for the washing basket, grabbed a sheet, and they led him inside as I offered it. He must have gotten out somehow, the two of them struggling to hold him still. I thought they'd said he'd gotten weaker? They could barely hold onto him. He was sweating again, shoving at them, soaking wet with the stuff.

"Shower?" I asked.

Jeremy nodded. He glanced out the door. "Karl will be here in a few minutes. Make some breakfast for him, please."

I didn't ask how they knew he was coming. Silly question. They'd heard the car. Instead I went in and poured some of the batter left over into the frying pan, letting the pancake sizzle and heat up, as the front door opened and Karl called, "Jeremy?"

"He's upstairs. Want some food?" I called. He ducked his head into the kitchen and nodded. Out of all the pack, this was the man I knew least, the one who was usually away with business or Hope. I still hadn't figured out if he was with Hope or not. Just that half the time she was here, he ended up showing up, and that she now had his son.

"Pancakes? You make them?" He flopped down.

"Easy to make. Here." I tipped it onto his plate and offered the leftovers from earlier, the ham, cut meats and cheese, letting him figure out how he wanted to adorn it.

"Are you weak now?" Karl asked, not mincing words, his eyes going back up to me. When I frowned he nodded. "I thought so."

"You were investigating a mutt?" I asked, ignoring the pain those words brought, and he nodded as he piled things on top of it. "Well?"

"He's in the trunk. Looks like it's spreading." He replied. "Fork?"

I slid one over and sat back down, letting this news sink in, that it wasn't just us. It wouldn't be long then before the mutts, the bitten and the hereditary, to connect this disease to us somehow. "That's not good news."

Karl nodded a fraction as he ate. Jeremy came back down, soaking wet, apparently having heard every word. "Did he get attention?"

"In hospital, a little, but we were quick to get in before he started the changing." Karl answered.

"We?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow.

"Hope assisted." He didn't explain and Jeremy didn't ask. "Paige had to go somewhere else. He's in the trunk."

"Does this mean it's not just us?" I asked and Jeremy's dark eyes met mine.

"Seems so." He sighed out slowly. "I'll have to talk with Elena about our actions."

"Actions?"

"He means, do we warn the mutts, or do we keep it quiet." Karl explained. "Right?"

"Exactly." Jeremy nodded a fraction. "I'll be upstairs."

Karl excused himself later, apparently called upstairs for help, and I spent most of the day trying to run around after the triplets again. It was easier, just a fraction, but just as exhausting. It had been easy to take for granted the energy and endurance that naturally came after the bite, I'd used it without thinking after a while, and the triplets hadn't exhausted me like this. They had been tiring, sure, but ... nothing at this level.

I suddenly understood why mothers talked about having a nap while the kids had a nap. By the time I'd washed laundry, again, changed the triplets over and over and over, fed them, kept an eye on the triplets as they ran all over the backyard and got into everything, eating anything that was small enough to pick up, while hanging up washing, and got them lunch to fill the gaps snails, mud and leaves hadn't filled... I was buggered. They weren't. They were very much awake when I suggested a nap and very upset about the idea, rolling around the little room they'd been given, ignoring their beds. This was okay. I shut the door, curled up on the ground on a cushion, and went to sleep. They'd either join me or they'd keep playing, but if I knew them, they'd prefer joining me.

A little body snuggled against mine when I woke a few hours later. I was half right. Dominic, like he always liked to do, had copied me and was curled up on a teddy bear for a pillow. Susie and Lily were on one of the little beds side by side, fast asleep, a blanket tugged over them.

Nick sat behind me, I realised, his hand stroking across my back when he heard me wake, flipping a page.

"Hi." I rolled onto my back and gazed up at him. He smiled, put a finger across my lips, and stroked my face gently as he mouthed 'Hello' back. When I pulled him down, fingers tangling in his curls, he didn't resist, just threw the book aside and slid down to lie on my other side. The nightclub was weeks ago.

Dominic grumbled when my warmth left his side, sliding closer, the teddy bear squeaking as it was pulled across.

Nick held up a piece of paper with a red crayon, his handwriting, _'Date tonight?'_

I shook my head and yawned. He pouted, raised the crayon, and added something else. Stick figures. Going at it. I laughed, his hand covering my mouth, and took the crayon.

_'Two men?'_

He scowled and added breasts to one.

I pointed an arrow at the other one. _'No gender?'_

Nick added a penis, his grin back now, a penis that was ...creative. Very creative. Very large. Then he wriggled his eyebrows. I took it and made it a little more realistic. He shook his head and tried to draw another one. We fought over it, crayons digging into the paper, giggling, Nick's hand trying to muffle mine. Finally he had to lift me up and take me out of the room.

"It's that big."

"Uh huh." I laughed, folding it up and sliding it in my bra, his eyes watching the path of it with increased interest.

"That's a nice bra. Who bought you that?" He tried to see, yanking my top down, fingers tracing along the nude lace and I pretended to fight him off, getting pinned against the wall in the hallway. "Is that one I got you?"

"Maybe." I had planned on surprising him with it at some point. Now was as good a time as any. I unbuttoned my shirt a little, as he reached in to stroke it, looking delighted. Then I hid it again, seeing Elena come out, pushing his hand out. "Look later."

"Third date tonight then?"

"If Elena gives permission." I nodded at Elena, who was standing in her doorway watching us with an amused look. Nick pretended to be surprised to see her.

"Elena!" He captured her in another big hug, grinning. "Can I take her on a date?"

"Have you kissed any more strangers in nightclubs?" Elena raised an eyebrow at him as she batted at his head.

"No. I have been very good." Nick protested as he lowered her down. "Can I tak-" He cut off, blinking, then called, "Coming!"

Elena and I blinked, glancing at each other, as he seemed to answer someone neither of us had heard.

"I'm needed. Pick you up at eight!" He winked at me, jogging away down the hallway, heading for the other half of Stonehaven.

"I didn't hear it." Elena muttered.

"Neither did I." I glanced after him. "Should I-"

"No. Probably not. Jeremy, or Reece, whoever it was... would have yelled louder." Elena sighed and moved to stand beside me against the wall. "Babies down?"

"For a little while." I relaxed a little and glanced at the phone in my pocket. "Maybe till Matt gets home." I yawned, shutting my eyes.

"I'll cook dinner."

"You sure?"

Elena nodded. "By cook, I mean put in the oven and warm it up, but yes."

"I'll help. Ice cream in bowls." I offered and she laughed. We yawned, sighing again, both clearly buggered. I told her, "You'll feel better tomorrow," and she smiled somewhat. "Stronger."

"You can go with Nick out tonight after the toddlers are in bed. That is, if you can stay awake." Elena's head turned to Kate, who had leaned out of her door looking for her. "I'm coming back. We'll watch a movie downstairs."

I nodded and smiled. She stood up, groaning as her body resisted that simple move, a push from me helping. "Twins. Exhausting. Can't imagine what it's like with three two year olds."

"Don't ask. I'll be asleep by nine." I muttered. She laughed and headed back into the bedroom, just as Kate poked her head out again with a DVD in one hand. Or was it a blue... thing? Who knew anymore.

It was much later than nine by the time we got the toddlers asleep, Nick still busy with Clayton, who had run around naked again, sprouting bullshit, trying to find Elena. Something about Christmas. She seemed to understand and helped them by luring him back into his room, waving tinsel, which had a surprisingly calm effect on the big guy. Nick vanished for half an hour in the car, heading to Forestwatch to 'set up', and I made myself drown coffee so that I could prepare too before I wandered over there.

I wanted to reward him for being so good to me, well, except for the bar. He had spent the past two weeks slaving over us with the other werewolves and seemed to genuinely be sorry. Maybe I was a sucker for falling for it so easily. Maybe not. I decided that I didn't care tonight. Instead, I dressed up, wore 'winter' undies which were silky blue-white silk things with a fur lining, hiding them under a big coat. Google had yet again paid off with tips. It was teaching me more about surprising Nick than anything else. Ever. Trenchcoat? Underwear? Heels? Makeup?

It wasn't something I would do for just anyone. I'd gone to job interviews in jeans and thongs. This man? He could get me to walk down the street naked in public if it made him happy. I suspected it would have amused him too.

I walked to Forestwatch, boots on, heels in one hand, when it got to the correct time to leave. Twenty minutes walk, the night cool, a torch in hand as I tried to not freak out or have an anxiety attack in the dark. Funny how it was easier to do this, ignore a fear of the dark, when you knew what was going on in the dark. By the time I got to the edge of the forest and saw Forestwatch's lights on, I had to use breathing techniques to keep calm, trying to rattle logic through my head.

The sight of Nick at the end of the walk, a dark figure in a doorway, leaning casually there as he waited, was enough to calm me down again. I threw the boots away into the forest, as he waited patiently, sliding the heels on and striding the last of the distance on them.

Nick was leaning against the doorway, a lazy grin on his face, eyes going down to the heels with amusement. "You walked all the way in those?"

"Can't you tell?" I tried to walk sexy, swing hips, and stumbled over the hose. Who left that out? Nick stepped forward to catch me, laughing, swinging me up into his arms.

"Yeah, you're a pro." He tried to undo the coat. "What's with this?"

"Surprise. No touching." I slapped his hands away and nipped his neck to distract him. "What's for dinner?"

"We're going out for pizza in town first." Nick replied. He carted me out to the car and lowered me in it. "Unless you want to get changed?"

I shook my head, and he raised an eyebrow, trying to see under it again.

We sat there, eating the pizza in a corner in town, ignoring the stares or the comments. They weren't about me or the giant coat I wore, I suspected no one noticed my clothing at all, but rather Nick. With a woman. I noticed he'd taken his wedding band off again but tried to ignore that. I wasn't wearing mine either- they were probably still under repair. Why would Nick keep his off though in public? That made no sense.

I amused myself with sliding my foot up his leg, hooking it behind it, our legs hidden by the table. Nick blinked at me, trying to hide the amusement there, trying to eat normally. This didn't work when I slipped the heel off and used my bare foot instead, the bare foot sliding right up the inside of his thigh.

He almost bit his own finger when he felt toes tickling that spot, yelping, dropping the pizza and raising an eyebrow at me.

"What?" I gave him an innocent look, fingers teasing the muscle along the inside of his thigh, knowing the effect I had on him. "Don't like your pizza?" I glanced around, no one looking, and lowered the coat slightly, parting it, so he could see exactly what I was and wasn't wearing under there.

"Tease." His low growl sent shivers up my spine, the look he gave me, as if he was tempted to drag me into the bathroom then and there.

"Good pizza." I pretended to agree, buttoning it back up again, leaning back. I slipped my foot back in the shoe and acted as if I'd done nothing. "I love the mushrooms."

Banana split and another chance to tease him with little flicks of my tongue at the spoon covered in icecream. The look on Nick's face was priceless. I'd flirted with him before, teased him, but never this much. Truth was, I wanted to claim him all over again, I wanted to make him mine. Make him crawl. Love him till he passed out from it.

He stood up, suddenly, dropping more money than was necessary, and dragged me out to the car. I laughed as he almost pulled me off my feet in the heels, Nick glancing back and slowing down, his face flushed. We made our way to the car, Nick's breathing a little faster, his brow shiny with sweat, glancing back at me.

"Why so naughty tonight, hm?" He growled, when we were in the car and the windows were up, though he didn't look the least bit upset about it.

"Establishing my territory."

"Keep it up."

"I will." I grinned at him, reaching across, fingers tracing along the inside of his thigh again. Nick inhaled sharply as the back of my hand brushed him, car swerving a little, and he drove just that little bit faster out of town.

When we got back, Nick told me to wait downstairs. Wait? I pouted and he grinned. "Surprise for you too. You wait in the living room, I come downstairs, we strip for each other."

"Sounds fun."

He literally ran upstairs in the empty house, I heard him trip over something that squeaked, swearing. Didn't need super hearing to hear that.

When he came down, I stared at him like he'd gone mad, a few minutes and ...he'd gone eighties. Literally. Held a boom box, a serious one, over one shoulder, eye liner, hair done up something out of a bad early music video, his own body covered in a trench coat too.

"Who goes first?"

"Let me. Music's all ready." He grinned and I nodded. Nick stood up, turning off the lights, lighting candles.

Then he turned on the music and started to strip.

Laughter didn't deter him, as 'like a virgin' came on, Nick apparently having gone for the serious 80s look. Make up and all. He milked that song for every second, singing, high pitched, as I sat back and watched, spurned on by my laugher.

"Yoou made meee feel shiny and new... like a virgin..."

"You were _never_ a virgin." I laughed as he danced around, looking incredibly ridiculous "_Never_."

"What about this one?" He tugged that cassette tape out and changed it. "Can't touch this!"

I watched him do the dance, laughing my head off, the sad part being that ...well, he actually knew the dance. Was he good? No. But he knew the dance. It was sort of tragic and amusing all at once.

"I can't touch you?" I asked, halfway through, standing up. He blinked at me, grinning, "_Can't touch this_."

I pushed him back into a seat, standing up, eyes locking into his. Nick swallowed, turned off his boom box, and waited.

"Here's your ipod." He threw it at me.

"You want to see what I listened to as a teenager?"

He nodded.

I grinned. I'd already put a song onto his phone- I wasn't sure if he'd noticed it it yet- the bad touch by the bloodhound gang suiting him. That would have been great for stripping to but I didn't want to spoil the surprise. So... I put one earpiece in my ear, turned it up loud so his good hearing could hear it, and turned it on.

Mmmbop it was. I grinned at him as he blinked at me, probably expecting something much sexier than that, as I reached for the top button of the coat, the song going...

"Oh hell no. You're not stripping to that." He tried to grab the ipod and I ducked, tugging it behind my back, Nick knocking us both down in his attempt to get it off me.

"Hey, this is my stripping song." I protested as he pinned me down and tried to pry it out of my hands.

"That song will never turn me on." He laughed, trying to change it, easily overpowering me. "Here."

'_Oh baby, baby, oh baby baby, how was I supposed to know..._,' I heard it sing in my ear.

"You feel sexy to Britney Spears?"

"I like picturing you in that sexy schoolgirl outfit." He tried to undo my coat. We struggled against each other, one of the buttons vanishing past Nick's head as he yanked hard, laughing and nipping gently at each other. He was turned on, I could feel it, his face flushed, breathing hard against my neck, and he hadn't even seen it yet."What's my present?"

"I can't strip if you're on top of me." I wriggled as he tried to pry it off, holding it there stubbornly.

"I decided to unwrap you instead." Nick's thumb rolled over the ipod till he found what he wanted, a knee between my legs, his free hand keeping me pinned on the ground. "Nineties song."

_'Ooh Aah ... Just A Little Bit...'_

"Don't want to watch me strip?"

"You might put on Mmmbop again." He shook his head, pretending to look very serious. "I can't take that."

"Mmm bop, ba duba dop, Ba du bop, ba duba dop, Ba du bop, ba duba dop..." I teased him, loving how he growled at that, his lips finally coming down to shut me up with a hard hiss, buttons tearing off the coat as he gave up 'unwrapping it' and tore it off instead. He'd forgotten it had a belt, growling as it refused to get off me, it took him a few seconds to check what it was around my waist keeping him from getting his way.

"What's this?" Nick's head moved lower as his body scooted down, lips tracing over the soft fur and silk bra, inhaling slowly. "New?" 

"Mmhmm."

"You've learnt well." He tugged the coat off, tearing seams, impatient now, inhaling slowly as his nose brushed against the inside of my breasts, the fur lining ticking each side of his face. Whiskers made me squirm as they scratched against the sensitive skin. "So well. Where'd you buy it?"

"I made it. Don't rip it." I grinned at him. "You need to shave again."

"Forget shaving, let me inspect this workmanship." He sat up, tugging me into his lap with my legs around his legs, stroking across the edge of the bra. It wasn't perfect. I wasn't that good at making clothing, at least compared to what my sister had been like, but she'd drummed in sewing into me so much that I managed. The odd strange thread or uneven stitching hardly mattered.

I watched him, reaching up to tug at his shirt, Nick's head lifting up to look at me as I pulled at it. He grinned and pulled the fabric off in a quick yank, throwing it away, his muscles tense as he returned his attention to 'inspecting' the bra. Fingers slid into the cup, against the soft fur lining, Nick inhaling sharply as he found my nipples there. What had he expected? I breathed out slowy, shutting my eyes as he wrapped his arms around me to find the clasp and undo it carefully.

"Don't like it?"

"I need to see it closer up." The bra was slipped from my arms, Nick keeping me on my stomach as he liffted it up, inhaling the scents he could still smell there slowly, his body grinding against my behind with increasingly hard pushes. "I'm keeping this. In a glass cabnit. In our living room."

"Not a chance."

"These can go beside it." He grinned and carefully put it on the table, before his hands slid down my sides with agonisingly slow strokes, I squirmed as he tickled the skin, hands finding the panites.

"You like them then?"

"Love them. We're never going to Victoria Secret again."

I resisted the urge to remind him that it was always him going, never me, and we sat there, bare chests brushing against each other, my hands in his curls as I tugged his head down to mine. We were gentle at first, ignoring the ipod as it blasted away some random song, till Nick realised that random song was 'Wannabe'.

"You need better taste." He muttered, snatching it up. I heard 'kiss me' instead, his amused look as he found it, and Nick tossed it to one side so we could return to what we were doing.

After a few minutes of kissing, the kisses getting increasingly hard and rough, Nick's hips grinding into mine, hands stroking across my skin like he couldn't decide where he wanted to touch, I knew he was about to jump on top of me. "Bedroom?"

"I don't know if I can last that long." Nick got up slowly, his hands reaching for his pants, undoing them. "These are too tight."

"So take them off." I wriggled, trying to get free, but one of his hands shot down to pin a leg down. When I reached for a hand he gave me a low warning growl. "Not going to let me up?"

When he shook his head, I twisted around onto my back, surprising him, giving him a not so gentle shove in the chest with my heel. He yelped, standing up, and I got up quickly.

"Hey!"

"Thought you liked playing hard to get?" I teased, standing back, trying to not trip over his shirt as I stood there with my hands on my hips, bare chested, the panties still there. Nick's eyes drank in the sight as he threw his belt to one side, trying to get his pants off. I stepped back one step, then another, Nick's attempt to grab me and give chance hampered by the tight pants he was trying to get down his hips.

"This is why parachute pants were popular." He muttered, cursing,struggling to chase me and undress.

"Sorry. Can't catch me... can't do much, can you?" I grinned, wheeling around as he lunged for me, racing up the stairs, trying to not trip in the heels. The house was empty, a rare freedom, the lights off, and …

Nick caught me on the stairs, more or less naked now, grabbing my legs so that we fell hard against the steps with a yelp and an 'oof'.

"Hey, careful." I protested, as he climbed up me, pushing me into the stairs, teeth finding the back of my shoulder.

"You be careful. Teasing a werewolf with a hunt, dressed like that, and..." He grinned, white teeth glowing in the darkness, tongue coming to flick against the back of my neck. He'd found the other part of the surprise that he'd been too distracted to see before. I'd sewn a bunny tail onto the back of the panties. "...dressed like this? I think I'm starting to like this view of you. " He cursed as I dug a heel into him, pushing him back, and I scrambled up again, glancing back with a teasing wink.

Nick was on me again in a second at the top of the stairs, his breathing hard, sweat making out skin slippery, hands grasping for my thighs and holding me still. "Don't you move, bunny."

"Or?" I pretended to move, testing...

He showed me, pulling the fabric out of his way, apparently unable to wait for the bedroom, his arms wrapping around my waist as we growled and nipped at each other, panting, pushing against each other, sweaty skin sliding against each other, the stairs digging into my front.

We got up after, slowly, Nick cathcing me as my weak legs almost stumbled and sent me flying back down the staircase, his breathing slowly as he carried me into our bedroom. I was bleeding again, body not like it had been before, bruises already forming from the staircase digging in...

Nick saw and smelt it in the dim light of the bedside lamp and swore softly, fingers dancing over the sore skin. "Shit. I was a bit rough. Forgot how delicate bunnies are."

"I didn't notice." I tried to grab for the heels and get them off. Nick pulled them off, throwing them over his shoulder, kissing my bare feet. "You like my feet?"

"I like every inch of you." He crawled up, kissing the spots staircases had dug in, sweaty, and slid my panties down my legs, throwing them in the same direction the shoes had gone.

"I wanted to ..." I flushed, as Nick raised an eyebrow, eyes tracing down to his groin. "I guess ...we got a bit distracted."

"Trust me. You'll get another chance if you keep looking at me like that." He grinned, shifting closer, sliding over to sit on my stomach. Nick took one of my hands and had me stroke him, slowly, a low shudder escaping as he did. "Very soon."

"I haven't done it before." I watched it, watched it respond, flushing. You'd think two years of teasing it, playing with it, and having it a major part of our sex life would have had me used to the way it ...grew like that. For me. But no. I was still shy when it came to being up close and personal. Nick always seemed amused by that.

"I know."

"Tell me what you like."

"I like it when the woman doesn't bite it off." He replied. Shifted closer, amused when it made me go redder, my eyes widening. Nick rolled onto his back. "Afraid?"

"No." I got up, stubborn, sliding over. He grinned, thrusting his hips at my mouth as I got close, the smell of him in my nostrils. Not a bad smell, exactly, he'd clearly … cleaned up... as he'd changed. But a smell.

It probably wasn't the best one he'd had from a woman, I knew that, but I did what he instructed, finding that when my eyes met his...it seemed to add something to it, something he loved. He loved how innocent I was when it came to things like this. Tasting him like this was strange too. I didn't protest when one of his hands gently guided me, murmuring gentle instructions that got more and more broken up with ragged breathing, till he couldn't speak and I copied what he and google had told me to do. This was about him, about claiming him, loving him, pleasing him. Tasting him.

Nick pushed me back as he got close, his breathing hard, muttering something about how I didn't have to swallow. Swallow?

I understood when it came, across my lips and in my mouth, on my chin, the look on his face as he saw me lying under him with his fluids on me... it appealed to something so deep down, so primal, that he dragged me into the shower and we started again, pressed against the glass, bodies rubbing and sliding against each other as we 'cleaned'.

"Love you." I murmured against his neck after his third release for the night, breathing hard, my body exhausted.

"Love you. Thankyou."

"Can I do it again soon?" I needed practice and he seemed so satisfied, so happy.

"Every night and morning if you want."

"You liked it?"

Nick nodded, releasing my legs down onto the tiles, the hot water pouring down over the two of us. He seemed lost for words now and happily let me shave him, eyes warm with affection as he watched me. He didn't even seem bothered when I accidentally nicked him a few times, stealing kisses, covering my face with foam. I suddenly understood why girls did that, gave men oral sex, it made him so happy. I sort of understood too. Every time he went down there for me, it was incredible, not just because it felt good but ...because he liked me enough to go down there.

"Sorry."

"What for?" He blinked. "I cut me all the time when you're near."

"No... I should have done that sooner."

He shrugged, taking the towel, wiping the foam off me. "Only when you're ready. I'd never force you into something you're uncomfortable with."

"Except slutty schoolgirl outfits and sex on the staircase."

Nick grinned, nipping at my lip. "Except them. Plus a few other ideas. I've got a lot I haven't tried with you yet."

"You-" I leaned up, tugging a pillow under my head to prop it up, "-are a very bad influence." He seemed amused by that, but I was thinking over all of it, giving into him after three days together, the airplane, other various locations …like he couldn't help himself but just had to use all his experience on me.

"Good." Nick yawned, rolling off me and shut his eyes. "We'll keep up your education tomorrow."

I nodded, snuggling into his side, and curled up. Now that we were both satisfied and relaxed it didn't take long to fall asleep.

The phone woke me up. Nick groaned, trying to kick at it, but I grabbed it before he could.

"Tell Dad to bugger off." He muttered as I lifted it. "Tell Jeremy that we're having sex."

"Hello?"

"Having sex?" Reece asked, voice tense but a trace of amusement. "I don't hear moaning."

Nick grunted and threw the pillow at the phone.

"Is that the sound he makes when he's on you? Poor girl."

I felt Nick pounce, trying to get the phone off me, and rolled off the bed, landing with an 'oof' onto a shoe. "We're not having sex. What is it?" It was, I saw from the bedside clock, three in the morning... "Something wrong? The triplets?" Now I was awake, wide awake, and Nick too. He sat up.

"No, no, they're passed out. Angels."

"While they're asleep." Nick muttered.

"Daniella's ...a little... upset. Sorry. I know it's late but do you think you could come back now?"

"Yeah, of course." I stood up and flipped on the light. "Upset? Is she awake?" I started to dress, Nick getting up and dressing too.

"I can't tell. She was never-" Reece hesitated. "Good with stress. Or being weak. She's either in the middle of a fever or upset."

I heard a crash in the distance. "What was that?"

"Kitchen plate thrown through a window."

Ah, fuck. "Won't be long. Can you calm her down?"

"I've been trying but ..." Another crash and a wail. Lily. "...we've got three babies here that are wide awake and Clayton's trying to get into the kitchen to take on the threat. Karl and Jeremy are with him. Elena's trying to calm the babies down. And Vi's not crash hot right now. Amar's with her but ...Dani's really hot and ...we need help."

"Is Clayton awake?" Nick called. We hurried downstairs, not bothering with shoes, the phone against my ear.

"No, he's feverish and hallucinating, and it's taking them both to keep him in the basement."

"Ten minutes." Nick called and we started to the house.

When we got there, glass was over the lawn where the plate had gone through a window, Daniella wrecking havoc in the kitchen, growls from the basement that even I could hear.

"See you soon." Nick kissed my cheek briefly, as I tied back my hair, and hurried downstairs.

Reece was trying to talk to Daniella, who threw a glass at his head, panic and rage in her face, his arms up, a cut across one cheek. She wasn't awake yet, her eyes were unfocused, all the rage and hurt from the past three years there. She'd gotten better, happier, calmer, but out of all of us, Daniella struggled the most with it. The fights she'd have with Reece usually resulted in one or both of them getting hurt in some way. And he was endlessly patient with her.

I stepped in beside him, relief flooding Reece's face when he saw me.

"See, she's here. We're here. It's okay." He held out his hands, trying to step closer, only to get another glass thrown at his head.

"Dani?" I called and she hesitated, her arms shaking, sweat pouring down her arms in obvious rivets, legs trembling and threatening to pitch her down on the shards of glass and china around her. "Want to get away from that mess?"

She let me come closer to her, leaning against me heavily, which might not have been a problem earlier but ...I got us both out of the kitchen, somehow, trying to not tip over as the taller girl literally collapsed on me, her breathing hard, salty sweat and tears on my hair, snot running down her face. She'd been sobbing her eyes out. Reece trailed behind us, trying to help, but everytime he got within her two metre space she got angry all over again.

"She needs a shower. To cool down." He explained and I nodded, guiding her upstairs and into the bathroom, Reece hovering behind. "But it has to be lukewarm. Cold would send her into shock."

I tried to take off her clothing and this just made her panic. So into the shower we went, the two of us, lukewarm water pouring down on us both, Daniella's arms wrapped around me as she stood there, blood from cuts soaking into her clothing. She was _hot_. Her skin felt like it'd burn me.

"This what I was like?"

"You... yes." He nodded, lips twitching. "Vi took care of it. Half the time anyone with a penis had to stay away."

I nodded, stroking Daniella's face gently, as she slid down and sat there on the edge of the bath, the water flooding onto the floor. We'd have to clean it up later. The fevers were probably forcing her into her worst nightmares, and however good our lives were, the nightmares were always in the same places. The same thing happening. The same wound there, never fully healed, and the hurt that came with it.

When she was cooled down, her temperature more or less safe, she let me strip her clothing off, leaning against the mirror, Reece throwing fresh clothing over. She was still sobbing her heart out though, hands against her stomach, and I knew what nightmade she'd been living.

"Get one of my babies." I told Reece and he blinked.

"Why?"

I stroked her face, gently, as she sobbed, clutching to me, eyes still unfocused. "Go get Dominic."

He was the calmest of the babies and least likely to care if he was in a cool shower. Reece vanished and brought Dominic back, who was completely awake, blinking at us. I lifted him onto her lap and she clutched him, holding him, tears falling on his dark hair as he stared placidly up at me with a 'What's this about?' expression.

"This got to do with her scar on her stomach?" Reece asked, lower, as I stood up and stripped my own wet clothing off. "Here, got you this." He handed me some clean stuff.

"Did she tell you what it was?" Two years since she'd told me, more or less, but I wasn't sure if she'd ever tell him all of what happened. She'd tried to, she'd talked to me about it after, but she'd always lost the ability to speak every time.

"No. She hasn't been able to." He watched her clutch Dominic who had decided this wasn't so nad and shut his eyes, snuggling up against the familiar adult, a thumb in his mouth. "I think I get the picture though. Did she have one?"

I didn't answer for some time as I dried and dressed, watching her calm down, her breathing improve, eyes focusing somewhat. "I don't know if I should tell you." I muttered. His face drained a little more.

"Anne..."

"Tell him." Dani's voice came. I blinked, Reece stepping closer, and she blinked, staring up at us, tears leaking. There was focus in them now, in her eyes, exhaustion and lucidity there, all panic gone.

"You back with us, Dani?" Reece tried to step closer, slowly.

"_Tell him._" She nodded, hiccuping, arms tightening around Dominic, her nose against his scalp as he fell asleep. "All of it. I'm awake now."

"You sure?"

"Just say it. I can't do it. I've tried for months."

I told him. Told him about the rapes, clutching her hand in mine, careful to stop or not say anything she didn't want me to. But she kept pushing me to tell him all of it and when I couldn't anymore, it was impossible to tell him what she had to, she spoke finally, voice cracking, eyes on Dominic instead of on Reece. The rapes, the miscarriage, and then the 'scientist' taking everything. Womb and baby and all.

Reece sat down on the bath, face white, and when I offered to leave, Daniella's hand tightened on mine.

"This why you don't want a baby?"

"Can't have one." She replied, voice breaking with emotion at that statement, tears falling onto Dominic. "Can't. I want but ..." As Daniella had been speaking, she'd started to slump, fighting sleep. I reached up to touch her forehead, tested her temperature, and it seemed to be improving.

We went quiet, Daniella leaning against the wall, Reece sitting on the bathtub, and it took the two of us a while to realise she'd fallen asleep. He stood up and lifted her up, baby and all, carrying her down to the room they shared. Reece lowered her down, careful with Dominic too, and sat on the end of the bed, his head in his hands.

"I guessed the scar was from something like that but-" He breathed out slowly, shaking. "Explains why she doesn't want sex."

"She doesn't have sex?"

"We tried a few times but she never enjoyed it." He replied, head in hands, his own body tense. "Fuck. I … I guess I knew, when she refused to touch the baby things at the start, when she was almost hostile about them... but ..."

"Everyone copes in their own way." I muttered.

"How do you cope with it?"

"Plan futures. Try to not think about the past. If I-" I hesitated, but his eyes swung up to me, and he wanted me to keep going. He yanked me down to sit beside him on the edge of the bath, an arm wrapping around me, leaning against me. "If I think about it too much, or if I think about my childhood, or my parents, I get upset. Angry. So I don't think about them too much." I replied. "It might not work that way for her."

"Can you tolerate sex with him?"

"There's some things he can't do." I replied softly. "Mostly though, yes, because Nick's always making new memories around sex, new things, new experiences, things not related to ...then. Sometimes he has to stop when it reminds me of something someone else did... but she was hurt more than I was. I can't imagine what she'd remember."

"He makes new memories?"

"I was pretty inexperienced. Almost everything he does is new to me." I glanced at Reece, the urge to suggest something there, fear of it going wrong like last time. "I ...you had a relationship with her before, didn't you? Sex?"

"Yes."

"Try and repeat some of those things as much as you can. A smell, a perfume, because she'll have a memory in her associated with it. We call them hooks... a colour, or a smell, or a taste that was with a good memory."

"When I smell home made jam made from strawberries, I remember my childhood, that kind of thing?"

"Exactly." I hesitated. "I don't know if it'd work. It might not make sex easier for her but ...it might help."

"I'll try it. Anything is a good idea if it makes her feel better." Reece inhaled slowly. "She's nearly well."

"How do you know?"

"She smells better. Thanks for rushing over. Do you mind if we have Dominic for the night?" Reece stood up, going around the bed to kiss her forehead, affection there, breathing in slowly as his nose brushed against her forehead. "It'll help her sleep."

"Go ahead." I nodded. Lily or Susie, that would have been a problem, but Dominic was much more easy going about this kind of thing. He wouldn't have minded who he woke up with as long as it was someone. It'd be amusing to see how much like his dad he was going to be. "He gets a little grizzly in the morning but it's just because he's thirsty, a bottle of warm water and he calms down straight away, and you can bring him into us."

"Just water?"

"He likes it."

Reece nodded, breathing in slowly, hands stroking her forehead slowly, and I stood up. He glanced up and smiled a small smile.

"Thanks."

Daniella woke the next morning, still lucid, remembering the night before, and was found in the kitchen trying to clean it up again. Reece didn't stop her but he was right there, beside her, the two of them working silently side by side as they swept and gathered up shards of glass and china.

Vi woke that afternoon, surprisingly having given us the least trouble in her fevers, apparently having spent most of her time sick just lying there. We found out why- Pav was on the line to her almost all the time via the computer, day or night, talking, singing to her, even sleeping beside the laptop so Vi could hear her. It was a smart idea. The disease hadn't reached Russia, though we'd heard it had been reported now in Australia from Andrew, the young Australian alpha, who struggled to get them before they were taken to a hospital.

It was the same story for them. The second they woke, they'd lost their sense of 'wolfish' smell, hearing and strength. We all needed to eat the same amount, it seemed, and our bodies still healed at a faster rate apparently, but it didn't change that we felt human.

That left just Clayton. He stayed sick, stayed panicked, no matter how much Elena spent with him, and it became a normal sight to see him wandering around half naked, broken restraints on his wrists and ankles, feverish, the full strength werewolves having to tackle him down all over again. Eventually they had to take him to Forestwatch- he started to grab Elena so hard that he hurt her, which made him panic worse, apparently caught in the moment after he'd bitten her, the same moment looping in his head over and over.

The only good thing about that was that the pool made it easy to dunk him fast if he got too hot.

He was sick for another week before he came back with a start, I was helping them drag him out to the pool, Nick and Jeremy jumping in with him. Five minutes, he'd cooled down, then, very suddenly, Clayton was lucid, wide awake, the fever vanishing.

"What the hell is that for?" Clayton muttered, staring at me accusingly, trying to shake the water out of his ears. "Why am I in a pool?"

"Is he awake?"

"Why else would I be up? Shit." He reached for his head, groaning. "This what a cold feels like? I can't hear a thing."

"I think he's awake." Nick replied. Prodded Clayton, who flinched, trying to push his hand back. "Yep. Awake."

"Where's Elena?"

"Stonehaven." Jeremy replied, tugging it around Clayton's side, tying it there like a toga. "You've been sick for a while."

"How much is a while?"

"Three weeks." I replied, quietly, and his head lifted back up to me. I wasn't sure why, out of all of us, he'd suffered the longest. It was a relief to see something back in his eyes besides the heart stopping 'eyes rolling back so far the whites show' look he got every time the fever got too much and he thrashed.

"Was it a cold?"

I shook my head and he frowned, rubbing at his ear with a finger, as if he was hoping it was an ear wax problem.

"I can't smell or hear." Clayton's eyes went past us to house. Now that he was awake, lucid, it seemed that he was doing his best to understand, take over the situation, stay lucid. "You sure?"

"It's not a cold. It's something else. Liz has it too, Matt, Elena, Daniella and Vi." Nick said, quieter now, glancing at me. "We're curing it."

"So what is it? What are you curing?" Clayton tried to shrug off their hands, one leg going forward , trying to get out of the pool. His body wouldn't cooperate and he glowered at his legs. "What's wrong with my legs?"

"First, we talk with you. Let's sit inside." Jeremy and Nick helped Clayton out of the pool, offering him a towel, and we headed inside. " You might need a few days to get some strength back."

"A few days?" Clayon inhaled. Blinked. Then he tried to do it again, and again, breathing in so hard that he almost snorted, and it might have been funny if he hadn't just realised he couldn't smell. Seriously couldn't smell. "Why the hell can't I smell you? What are we curing here?"

"We can't smell."

Elena's voice made both myself and Clayton jump, his head swinging around, her face drawn and tense as she watched him. "We can't smell like we could. Our hearing's gone too. And our strength."

"Can we change?"

"We don't need to." She was right. One week since she and I had woken, more or less, and neither of us had the urge. I wondered if it was possible. "I haven't had to chance since I woke. Neither has Anne."

"Can we?" Clayton's face was drained of all blood. "Or are we _human_ now? Jer? Elena?" For the first time since I'd met him I saw it. The flicker of real genuine panic there. He was just a moment from snapping.

"We can change." I spoke up, Elena's eyes going to me, soft. "Matt's still doing it as much as he can. He said it hurts more and takes longer but we're still werewolves."

Clayton's shoulders visibly sagged with relief at that and he shut his eyes a moment. Elena stepped forward and touched him, carefully, ignoring his flinch at the unexpected contact.

"In a few days-" Jeremy tried and Clayton's eyes snapped open.

"We need to do it now. Now, Jer. Not in a few days. You too." His eyes snapped onto me. "Rules are, we change once a week. So we change."

"Food first." Elena didn't argue with him. "Then we can."

Clayton didn't take long to eat everything she set out for him and then made his way into the forest, refusing the cane, refusing to admit he'd gotten weaker. Elena hurried after him. I wasn't sure if I was going, at first, but Nick and Jeremy followed me in. The five of us would change.

Matt hadn't been kidding about how much more it hurt and how much longer it took. It'd been agonising before but now...at one point I passed out, I suspected, which hadn't stopped my body continuing the change. I woke on my side, panting hard, trembling as the pain faded away, needing a moment to recover.

It was like the world had been slammed back into my senses. Suddenly I could smell everything again, I could hear, I could taste, strength flooding back into muscles that had vanished. I trembled, whining slightly, sliding onto my belly as I scratched at the ground and sniffed it. Scents, complex ones, chemicals tracing up as I deciphered the meanings of them, rabbits. Rabbits crossing the ground here. Four hours go. I whined again with relief. Never thought I'd miss this smell as much as I did.

Nick pounced into my side, the two of us rolling over, his scent crashing over me and I whined again, a soft cry in my throat as I pinned him down and sniffed him from head to toe, eyes shutting, his own complex scent mingling with the smell of dry leaves, grass, dampness, dew, dirt. A tongue stroked up my neck as I made him lie there, made him let me smell him, trembling. I wanted to cry and I was making strange little noses against him.

We curled up against each other, play gone for a moment, his dark body pressed against mine, very aware that all of a sudden I was back. His mate. I was well again.

Two golden wolves sped past us, chasing each other, Clayton a little slower than usual, but whatever distress he'd felt was gone now. Nick's head jerked up as he watched them, ears pricking up, and I nudged him. Go. Play.

He sped after them, teeth catching Clayton's tail, and I smelt Jeremy before I saw him. Heard him creeping along the ground, his belly scraping the ground, and then...

I rolled out of his way as he pounced at me, teeth showing as he smiled, spinning around at me. We chased each other until Nick got bored of annoying Clayton and came back to play with me.

Elena was overjoyed too, even if she'd pretended to be okay for the past week, I saw her doing exactly what I did, nibbling and licking at Clayton. The five of us romped around, resisting the change back, and it was only when I thought of the babies that I separated from them a moment.

I made my way to Stonehaven, Nick close behind me, trying to play at first... but Elena was on his back, snapping, easily catching up to me. She must have had the same thought. After so long without the scent of our babies, our puppies, the desire to see them, smell them, it almost consumed me.

We came out at Stonehaven, circling around the house slowly, checking for humans. None. Just pack. Karl was standing on the porch on the phone. I wasn't willing to go inside the building, even if it was familiar territory, and Elena sat back as well. She then paused, sniffing, circling around the ground. When I inhaled I understood- her puppies had gone away for the day, leaving trails all over the place.

Karl called something, words that I was too focused to be bothered catching, and Reece appeared. He glanced at me, I whined, scratching at the ground, and disappeared for a moment. Nick moved beside me, brushing against my side, nuzzling against my neck.

Lily, like usual, was the first to come out, steady as she made her way slowly down the stairs with Reece's assistance. Susie wasn't far behind and Dominic was carried over, yawning, the smell of sleep and banana on him. They weren't afraid of me. They knew who I was. I padded over, circling until they were far away from the house, and nuzzled against the puppies, licking dirty faces, whining softly again. Scents filled my head, of three happy healthy puppies, baby humans, some food on them, some talcum powder, some dust, but very happy. Crayon scent covered Dominic's face but I saw none. Little hands grasped my fur, tugging me down, and I rolled over as I was climbed all over, fur tugged at, ears pulled at, Reece trying to control them.

He didn't have to worry. They could do whatever they liked to me. Nick sat back on his haunches, watching, a noise rather like a laugh from him. I yawned, relaxed, lying on my side as they played with me and talked to me, voices echoing in my head, scents filling my nostrils.

I fell asleep there. Maybe that was strange but after a week without this, without my instincts, without this nature that I'd accepted, without their smells... it was so easy to relax. So easy to calm down and go 'Okay. Every thing's all right now.' I woke in the guest room, Nick reading beside me, the smell of him and the sound of the world gone.

Sadness filled me at that, everything suddenly loosing the vibrancy and detail it once had, the 'blur' back over it. I inhaled slowly, reaching out for Nick, his hand curling around mine.

"You okay?"

"I miss it."

"Did it all come back as a wolf?"

I nodded and he sighed, dropping the book on the side, curling up against me. "Explains why Clayton and Elena are still out there."

"How long?"

"Six hours."

"Once I smelt the babies I... I wanted to nap." I admitted and he smiled a little.

"They did smell good. Yum yum."

I prodded his side and he nipped back gently, tugging me on top of him, lips and tongue and teeth teasing the side of my neck. "Reece has taken Vi and Daniella out for their run."

"Good. It'll cheer them up." I muttered. Vi had been refused entry into Russia by the alpha and probably would have refused to go anyway- not until she knew Pav was safe from it.

"I got you a present." Nick held onto me as he wriggled sideways, slowly, arm tightening around me.

"Why?"

"Because. " He grinned and yanked a small velvet bag out of the drawer there, the jangle of something metallic inside. "I can."

I opened it up as he watched, tugging some keys out, several fairly ancient in style and several much more modern. There was even a keycard amongst it. "Keys?"

"To home." He explained. "I don't know if I ever gave you them."

"Nick, I have a key to the apartment."

Nick grinned and waved the old keys. "Not to this house, you don't."

"You don't own a house."

"Haven't we ever taken you there? Where do you think Dad sleeps?" He blinked.

I blinked at him. He scratched his head, looking a bit confused and a bit taken back. "In his room?"

"That's _Reece's_ room. Dad spends time in the apartment during the day, it's closer than home, but dad sleeps at our house."

"You have a house?" I stared at him and he really looked surprised now.

"Didn't I ...tell you about that?" Nick reached up to scratch his head.

"No?"

"Our family's house. Really old. I got an apartment because it was closer to some other ...things." He scratched his head, a sheepish grin. "I sleep there a lot. Um. Surprise!" He offered the keys again.

I took them and stared at them. How much else hadn't he told me? Suddenly I wished I'd asked more. I'd sort of taken it for granted that he'd tell me. But then, I didn't tell him much about life before him either. "What else don't I know?"

"Um." He scratched his head and shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything?" I flopped down on his lap, holding him there, stuffing the keys into a pocket. "Where is your family from?"

"We come from Italy."

"I thought so."

Nick told me about them, how they'd come here, the business in the early days, still a little surprised that he'd not said this. Maybe it was childish, we'd gotten right to the 'loving and fucking and, oh surprise, there's some babies coming', and then something else distracted us, then something else... two years on, and I was only now finding things out.

Maybe it worked differently in this world. He had a job he enjoyed, I was studying and trying to not go mad with the triplets, neither of us seemed worried about the other. I heard about it all the time, his work, his clients, knew he went to meetings, he showed me things he'd arranged, but we'd never actually really talked about it like this. The glow in his face, particularly when he mentioned Antonio, I suddenly wished I'd thought to ask him more about it. His work. It seemed selfish to ask him to do some of it here when he was really trying hard to do it right.

"I think we should move to New York." I said, as he spoke about his job, about his father, wanting to really do well.

"Really?" Nick blinked at me. It was like he couldn't quite believe it.

"You enjoy working there. Save money on the planes. Why not?" I'd miss the forest, sure, but Central Park was there. I could study again. Maybe even hire a babysitter... that might have been complicated, that idea, but ... "If you want me around more."

"Course I do." A hand snuck up my side. "You sure about this?"

"You can probably do better work there, I can study in person, and I want to see this house you hid from me."

"Not on purpose." Nick reminded me, prodding me gently. "It just never seemed to matter. Girls got taken to the house, sometimes, but never to my apartment."

"You took girls there?" Jealousy reared up.

"Only to the cottage on the outskirts. I _never_ took them to the apartment where you are."

"Nick?" I asked and he blinked. "Do I live in the apartment?"

"Maybe for now. You know it." He nodded and then quickly, as my eyes narrowed, "The house is big and old. We'll visit it and then you can decide about it. The apartment's nicer, I think, cosy, easy to clean. The house is huge, old rooms ignored, human cleaners poking their nose in at you all the time. You'd probably prefer the apartment."

I had to admit right now that 'easy to clean' had a lot more attractiveness to it than 'giant old house with a servant staring at you all the time'. "You might be right about that."

"We'll go there when you move there. What about Forestwatch?"

"Jeremy can use it." That had been the plan originally anyway. I flopped against his chest, fingering the keys, still a little annoyed that it'd taken him this long to tell me about that. "So ...you have a huge family home."

"Giant. Gated. Pain in the ass but it impressed the girls." A hand sneaked down my back. "Are you impressed?"

"I bet it did." I muttered. "No."

Nick laughed and sat up, tugging me up with him, legs swinging out of the bed. "Good. Coming for something to eat?"

It took Elena and Clayton hours before they returned and no one seemed able to know how to deal with the change. Vi stopped talking, a miracle for her, refusing to give her opinion. She and Clayton were still deadly as hell, they kept taking it out on each other, and when Vi wasn't in the mood he'd insist I trained. Harder. More. Get stronger. He seemed to cope by doing that- physically exhausting himself.

I didn't need endless training for that. Triplets were great for it and I ended up having to nap with them every afternoon.

Daniella and Reece vanished for a while, once she was able to walk, heading back for New York with just a 'We're going tonight, see you'. Matt took it fine, better than the adults, but he didn't take the news about moving to New York well. He flat out refused. Elena had to eventually offer a bedroom to him there, at Stonehaven, and we'd see him on the weekends instead. It wasn't something I liked much but Matt had started at a school there, had Logan and Kate, and the bite he'd gotten meant that he'd bonded to Clayton in a way that he probably would never bond to me. Add to that the fact that he almost needed that forest, that wild, to keep himself calm... he never liked the city. It always bothered him now.

Antonio seemed happy though, that we were coming, and he sounded kind of surprised that Nick hadn't mentioned the house. I still couldn't quite believe it was really there. An apartment, I could picture, but a _mansion_?

Not exactly the most impressive thing, I had to admit I was more impressed by Stonehaven, but Nick had grown up there. That made it special.

When Elena was satisfied that there were no more side effects, and she made us promise to keep in daily contact in order to monitor the mutt's movement- we didn't want them to discover our weakness too fast- we packed up and headed for the big city.


	6. Tests

Home.

I stepped back into the apartment, the one I'd meant to move into years ago, the good furniture a little less intimidating now, a baby under arm, Nick not far behind with the other two. Antonio glanced up at us and his face lit up, throwing the paper aside, capturing me in a big hug that lifted me up off the ground.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks."

"How are you feeling?"

"Human." I smiled anyway though, kissing one of his cheeks, the warm welcome adding to this. "Okay. I'm not sure what to do here."

"It's New York! There's a lot to do." Nick offered his babies to Antonio. "I'll go get our bags."

"How much has got to come up?" Antonio took the girls, kissing each of their foreheads, nostrils bringing their scent up to him.

"We brought some stuff. Nick wanted to move the entire nursery here but-" I shrugged. "We don't need it."

"Not yet. But when we kick Reece out of that other room..." Nick called through the door as it closed, cutting him off, and Antonio sighed. Smiled.

"He might be right about needing that room. Reece and Daniella may have to move in with me." He made his way to the couch, carefully lowering the toddlers to the floor, and quickly blocked off the balcony with the toddler gate that was stored behind a desk against the wall. I let Dominic down behind them.

"Ana at school?"

Antonio nodded and headed into the kitchen, gesturing for me to follow, three plates already out.

"I wish I could have been around." I muttered. "I have to stay in here for another few weeks. Stay out of sight."

"Is that because of the attack?" Antonio asked and when I nodded he frowned. "I heard the Cabel were taking care of that."

"They...were?" That made no sense to me. I didn't know a lot about them, sure, but why would they personally get involved?

"That's what I heard. Two weeks inside is going to be tough with those three and just you."

He wasn't kidding. I glanced back at the three 'monsters', two on the couch, love and dread mixing there together. "I'll manage."

We tried to fit in, Reece, Daniella in one room, the triplets in our bedroom like they usually were in New York, Ana in her own room. Apartments were great but with four adults, a teenager and three toddlers... it was just lucky we were so high up. Not many neighbours to complain if it got noisy. Antonio spent most of his time there as well, between lunch, before breakfast, after dinner, which was a relief in some ways.

And Nick...

I'd have liked to say he was better behaved now but the truth was, the second we were back in New York, was the second he went back to his old habits. Late nights out. He was working, apparently, business meetings with clients, but a lot of those meetings were at bars. Which meant Nick returned home in the early hours of the morning sometimes, sometimes before midnight, but usually very noisy and pleased and hoping for a little action again. Then he'd be gone before nine thirty in the morning.

Reece and Daniella worked too, Ana went to her school, and whenever I tried to ask her about it, it was always 'Fine' or 'Okay'... with occasional additions about what that meant. I remembered saying that to my mum and sister when they asked. Fine. Okay. Now I got how _frustrating_ that answer was. Some part of me had hoped we'd bond, she'd tell me all her little problems with her friends, like sisters.

Nope. Fine. Okay. Can we have pizza. Sometimes the occasional slippage but she was already on the phone to new friends when she needed help. I ended up sitting there, talking to Matt on the phone when he came home from school, exhausted. Antonio was usually the only one who came home for lunch.

The positive thing was, while I was home alone with the triplets, I found that I could ignore the things missing. Maybe this was a problem I had, I was too happy to pretend everything was okay when it wasn't, I was too eager to 'put it behind me' when it really wasn't. We hung out, I changed nappies, we ate together, babies ran around half naked as I tried to change and clean them when they got messy together... till I gave up and just let them go for it, run around in nappies and loose pants, the apartment was warm enough and they messed up less clothing that way. Which meant less washing.

Antonio brought lunch home too. We flopped side by side, eating whatever he'd brought back, bonding over our exhaustion. Being a boss sounded like being a mother, at least it did to me, exhausting and full of goodness all at once.

"So you don't sleep here?" I asked, after some days. This aspect still confused me a little.

"I do sometimes." Antonio shrugged, offering today's lunch, sushi and noodles. "Mostly I stay there. It's home. Didn't you notice I vanished most nights? Or Nick tell you?"

"Nick didn't tell me about it till a few weeks ago." Nick didn't tell me a lot of things. "I figured this was it."

Antonio shook his head slowly. "He's not been very open since he hit his head. I noticed that too. Hes been out late again too, hasn't he?"

"He's got things to do. Antonio, how is the disease situation going?" I wasn't really keen to think about that- how much Nick had been going out.

"Don't change the subject." He prodded me with a chopstick. "Where's his wedding ring?"

"I don't know." I admitted. Stabbed at sushi instead of picking it up. "He's gone out. Clients."

"Did he wear the ring at Stonehaven?"

I shook my head. Bit the sushi in half.

Antonio had to stop for a moment, as Susie tried to steal sushi, and he offered her one of the ones without raw fish. "So it's just you and these three?"

"Reece and Daniella too. Usually." They tended to stay away later though, and I sort of envied their freedm. "I wanted Nick to be where he was happiest. If he's happy then-"

"Then you have to raise babies like his good wife while he flirts all over the neighbourhood as if he's thirty again?" Antonio's brows creased closer when I cringed. "Sorry. Bad choice of words. But you don't have to spend all your time here. Why not do something you enjoy?"

"Study doesn't start for a while, and anyway, I don't know about babysitter with these three." It was excuses, really, some part of me didn't want them to leave my sight now that it was all I had to moniter them with. "I don't like leaving them alone." I admitted, glancing up at him, quieter. "Now that I can't hear them if I go into another room. I keep picturing them getting hurt."

"Because you can't hear them?"

"Or smell them." I glanced at them. For the past week I'd been longing to change in here, in the apartment, just so I could smell them again.

"Would you like to take them tonight for our change?" He asked, quietly, and when I blinked, Antonio nodded at the calander. "It's tonight."

"Ah. I forgot." I hadn't even realised it was Friday night. "It's not a good idea."

"Why?"

"Because..." I paused, trying to figure out how to explain it. "I was addicted to morphine. While I was in the cell, it was how they got us to keep quiet and behave. But when I refused to take it and got over the withdrawals, I knew that if I got my hands on some, I might not be able to resist doing it again and then I might depend on it more than my own strength. If I ...change. I might not be able to stop it. I might need to do it more and more. Their smell..."

"Might make it hard to come back?"

I nodded. "I don't even know if it's possible to stay wolf."

"It's possible. We won't let you." He muttered, sitting up straighter, putting the half eaten food away.

"I don't want to but I don't want to tempt it."

Antonio seemed to understand. He reached out to squeeze my hand and went back to eating, quiet, our eyes going back to the kids on the 'waterproof play mat' we'd set them on with their noodles. That was until we both got a text at the same time. Nick, he wasn't coming back here tonight. "I'm getting you a babysitter."

"It's ok-"

"No, it's Friday night. It's not okay. You're getting a break tonight, the triplets and Ana are going to stay at here with Reece and Daniella, and I'll stay with you for the night after the change. I'll get us something to drink." He slid up straighter, clearly making up his mind.

"Reece and Daniella? I can't ask them to do that."

"They don't mind. I already asked them if they'd take a night shift. Nick was supposed to be doing the nights still." Antonio rubbed his forehead. "Okay. I have to return to work. We'll drop them off on the way to the forest and then come back and relax for a night. Do you want to go out dancing with me?"

I blinked at him and he smiled, somewhat. "You dance?"

"Of course I dance." He tried to look offended but just looked amused. Antonio picked up his wallet off the table and the keys. "It won't be at a bar but it'll be dancing."

"Okay." I nodded. "But aren't I forbidden from going out?"

"You'll be with me. It won't be a problem. See you tonight then."

It was barely half an hour after he'd decided that Reece got in touch with me and agreed to babysit. I couldn't believe that I'd get a break, I texted Nick, who didn't get back to me. It was while I was packing that I wondered where Ray had gone. I hadn't really heard much of him since I'd woken. Surely he was okay. I texted him too, after a quick thought.

Neither of them got back to me by the time Antonio showed up with Daniella and Reece. Daniella seemed to have recovered again, eagerly picking up the babies as they crowded around her, overwhelming her straight away with questions and offers and statements that made no sense.

We headed out for the forest that he and Nick usually went for, changed, and spent a good two hours out there, playing and bounding around. Again, like before, the second I was wolf, I suddenly was normal. Back to my usual self. I could smell, I could attack, and Antonio tested- I could defend myself. Nothing was unusual. Except, of course, that I didn't want to change back once I'd changed. Some deep part of me resisted that, returning to human, fought it even as Antonio had changed, trying to make me stay wolf. I had to struggle with that, picture the babies, Nick, home, to get through it, the agony of it not just physical but mental too, anguish as the sounds of the world, the scents, the taste of it, faded from my head.

"You okay?" Antonio called, when I stood up naked, tossing clothes to me. "Took a while for you to change."

"Some part of me wanted to stay that way. Sorry." I tried to shrug it off with a smile but he frowned and nodded a fraction. Now that I was human, my heart broke all over again, as Antonio's scent vanished from my world. I dressed as he turned his back to me, tugging on the dress I'd brought out for dancing, trying to push down the sense of loss and grief at what had gone again.

"It's like that now?"

"I'd almost stay wolf if I could." If I didn't have the family to return to. He nodded stiffly.

Halfway back we stopped so I could buy him the Australian beer I'd promised, and we left it in the car to go dancing. Live music played, Antonio relaxed, amused as he got shot interested looks by women. I hadn't ever really thought of him as 'attractive' before, even though he was close to Nick's good looks, but the looks he was getting? It was kind of hilarious. He did look half his age at least, maybe even younger, and was fitter than most men half his age.

"Why haven't you gotten a new girlfriend by now?" I nudged him, and he laughed, shrugging.

"Don't want one. Come and dance." He took my hand and led me into the crowd. Live jazz, Antonio's relaxed laughter, and I relaxed too, letting him swing me around.

"I'm rubbish at this." I warned him and he shrugged.

"So step on my feet as much as you want." He grinned, swinging me around again, amused as I did exactly that. Woops. Lucky for him that he wasn't human- I was probably going to be doing that a lot tonight. "When am I getting more grandchildren?"

"Not in your life time. Or mine." I responded, smiling now, relaxing as he swung me around and swayed, the music and life amusing. It was a very different atmosphere from the bars Nick liked.

"Ten years?"

"Maybe in ten years. Twenty."

We danced, drank some wine, relaxed and joked. It was nice to not be stressing out and, unlike with Nick, I felt no objections or jealousy what so ever when Antonio went to dance with others. In fact it amused me. Most of the women going for him were my age. He kept returning for another drink, brushing off my teasing, and taking me back out. Some other men offered too, at least at first, but when it was obvious I stepped on feet more than on ground, it was really only Antonio who was brave enough to try it.

Some hours later, as Antonio danced with a middle aged blonde woman, I was yanked back out of the crowd. A fist closed around my arm and yanked me into someone else's arms. The rudeness of it had me thinking it'd be Nick, for a second, somehow. It wasn't Nick. It was Tyler Lake.

Antonio glanced in our direction a moment, but I shook my head at him. The mutts didn't know yet. If Antonio came charging in, he'd guess something was up, and he didn't seem willing to get very close.

"You changed mates, hm?" He hissed in my ear, a hand on my waist now, trying to dance. His hand crushed my hand in it, trying to get a rise out of me, and directed us out of the crowd into the corner. I resisted the urge to cringe as I felt something in my hand crack.

"Shouldn't you be far away? Several states away, in fact?"

"I had to come test out a rumour." He grinned a feral grin at me, sweating hard, face red, his breathing hard. "See if I could ... have a chat with you. Tell me. Is it true? Are your pack members getting sick?"

"Where'd you hear that, hm?"

He ignored my question, pressing me against a wall, but there was still hesitation there, almost as if he was afraid of me. And so he should be, I narrowed my eyes at him as he pinned me there. But when I didn't shove him off, I wouldn't have been able to if I tried, he got a bit bolder. Pushed a hand between my legs, pressing harder. "I'm going to fuck you up for what you did to me. I can't have sex but I'll enjoy you getting raped."

The threat cut deeper than I had to admit it did. That was one thing I was not keep on going back to, even if I knew it was about power, and I had to let it go or it'd make me panic. Make me call for back up. Antonio was right there, right in the room, and I was safe. I had to threaten him right back or he'd know something was up.

"Did you ever hear what an angry chimpanzee can do to a person's face when they're angry?" I interrupted his threats, sudden, ignoring the invasion of his hand trying to get under my skirt, the other one fishing in his pocket.

"Huh?" Tyler was taking out... a syringe? He was still hesitating thought, body tense, like he was ready to leap back at any second.

"A chimp. Have you seen what they do when they're angry? See-" I reached up to touch his face, his body flinching, grasping his nose. "They can rip this off. This." A touch of his lips. "This." A finger dug into his mouth, sudden, finding his tongue. "These." His ears, I yanked at them hard enough to hurt him. "And gouge out these." I prodded at his eye, enough for the hand between my legs to let go and try and bat away the annoying hand. He pushed the syringe into me, squeezing, and I cringed as I felt it go in.

"If you don't get the hell out of the state soon, mutt, when I wake up and Antonio has you tied up for me, I'm going to stop following the orders of my alpha and disfigure a part of you that you can't hide. Slowly. Keep you alive through every last rip of skin and muscle." I hissed. I didn't need strength to scare him. I had history with him. I grabbed at his face, hard, the blood draining from his face as I pulled at his lip. "Do you want a demonstration now, before I fall asleep? Antonio won't rush to rescue me, he'll have to rush to rescue _you_."

He stepped backwards, glancing at the hall, then back to me as I felt the hallway start to sway, but kept my eyes fixed in him. Bared my teeth slightly. Two thirds of mutt threat was intimidation and bluffing, apparently, and I wasn't kidding. I'd rip anything off that came close enough now, my rage rising, breathing harder as I stalked closer to him. You didn't need to be a werewolf to be able to inflict damage on someone. That just helped. One jab in his eye socket with a thumb and...

He stepped towards me, hesitating as I bared my teeth wider. "Oh come closer, Tyler, _please_. Let me blind you. Give me an excuse to break rules." I hissed.

Tylers eyes went sideways again, suddenly, and he jumped backwards, turning and running for the car park as Antonio barrelled through the door. We heard a car screech outside and then vanish.

I tried to stand up, breathing hard, leaning against the wall.

"You okay?"

"He injected something into me." I grabbed the skirt and lifted it up so Antonio could see where the tiny jab had gone in my thigh. The hallway was spinning worse all the time. "No more dancing tonight."

Antonio knelt before me, I felt his breath on the skin there, inhaling. He was trying to figure out what it was. The world heaved sideways and I fell across his shoulder, an arm sliding up to catch me before I went the other end.

"Alcohol or injection?" He asked as he slid me back down, into his arms, probably also able to smell the alcohol.

"I don't know. Maybe both." I muttered. Shut my eyes.

When I opened them we weren't at the hall anymore. Instead we were in the mansion, in Antonio's room, a book in his hand as I lay on the bed. When I sat up slowly, rubbing my thigh, he breathed out slowly in relief, throwing the book aside.

"Welcome back."

"Just a sedative?"

"Looks like it. You had a nice nap for a few hours." He smiled. "Not even a murmur of complaint. He might have broken a finger or two though, so I've bandaged your hand up."

I lifted it. "I don't really feel pain."

"No, that's why Jeremy thinks it's a sedative. Alcohol and a sedative." The smile vanished then. "Did he figure out you were weak?"

"I don't think so. I threatened to go chimpanzee on his face if he pushed me. Suggested that it'd been an order to stay calm." I smiled a little. "But he seemed strange. _It_ was strange. I don't remember what he said but-" But what? "I don't know. It was like he was pushing me. Trying to get me to attack. He said something about watching me get raped. I guess mutts know each other."

"Some do, yeah. That mutt's been a bit too much of a pain in our ass for a while. We'll have to do something about it." Antonio muttered.

"Clayton can't do it though."

"He and Reece can. His reputation is just a threatening as his fists." He didn't seem concerned.

"It's not that. He just seemed a bit..." I wasn't sure how to put it. Depressed? I tried to stand up. "It's hard for him."

"Which is more reason for him to get out and see that he's still just as useful as before. Forget him. How are you feeling?" Antonio stood up and strode over to the bed as I stood up.

"Ready for that beer I made you buy." I answered. Tested one leg, then the other. I was a bit unsteady, sure, but not that bad.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." He rubbed his head. "I already drank a bit tonight."

"You can drink it. I'll sip one. Don't let that one ruin our fun." I insisted. "Where are we drinking in this mammoth of a mansion? Or will we wake up your mass of servants?"

"Come on." He smiled, an arm under my arm as I swayed a little, guiding me downstairs. "We're home alone. No need to hide."

We made our way down the staircase, slowly, and I was left in the living room ...or was it a sitting room? Palor? Family room? Grand...relaxation room? These places always made no sense to me. I headed for the couch, sitting on the ground in front of it, relaxing there as I started to really wake up again. Antonio returned with the 'VB Bitter' and threw one to me.

"Sip it slowly." He warned me. "Don't make me take it off you."

"Your order is my command. Or something." I glanced at it then, "Can I get a coffee first? Or-"

Antonio was gone and returned with an iced coffee out of the fridge. "I remember you said warm ones make you sleepy."

"When did I say that?" I blinked at him. He was right though. "Thanks."

"A few months back." He shrugged and took his beer. "So let's try this Australian beer."

So we sat, we drank, and we put the music on again. The look on Antonio's face was priceless when he tasted the horrible crap. I said it was Australian. I never said it was good.

He put on a late night movie as we sat there, some old sci fi that was pretty awful, letting me rest my head on his leg as we watched it. I kept checking my phone as we watched, checking till the battery died, but still no messages from Nick or Ray.

"Nick's not answering you?"

"Nope. He's been busy."

Antonio sighed and we returned our attention to the movie, drinking slowly, relaxed with each other. I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke, I felt a hand trace across my face.

"You look like her." Antonio muttered, reaching up to stroke my face, thumb tracing along my jaw. He dropped his hand as fast as he'd lifted it, swinging away.

"Who?"

"Lily. Lillian. Your hair's lighter but ..." He reached for his bottle of beer and breathed out slowly, shutting his eyes.

I looked like Nick's mother? Was that sweet or ...disturbing? I wasn't sure. I heard men went for women that reminded them of their mothers. I drank the wine, shutting my own eyes, leaning against his shoulder.

"Is that why you liked me straight away?"

"I could see you were a good person." Antonio's voice was a little slurred, as he tried to speak, twisting sideways, lowering me into his lap. Fingers stroked along my hair. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

When he spoke, it was slow, like he struggled to say it, grief there. "Nicky. Not knowing how to help you. It's my fault. I didn't raise him to respect women."

"He treats me good."

"Up." Antonio lifted me up, suddenly, and we stood up, swaying, grabbing onto each other. This was silly... we were both unsteady. "Dance with me."

"Again?"

"I can still dance." He guided my hand onto his shoulder, tugging me up closer, arm wrapping around me. "Not too drunk yet."

"When did you last dance with a woman before tonight's flood of them?"

"Years." He laughed, swinging me around, lowering me down. "Still got it."

"You're drunk. I'm drunk. We're delusional." I reminded him, laughing too, the earlier sorrow gone.

"Yes we are." He didn't seem to care, singing something in Italian in my ear, a surprise... I didn't even know he spoke Italian.

"You speak Italian?"

"Of course I do. My father would have been horrified if I didn't." He replied, the two of us swinging around, loosing balance more than we were dancing. "Can I teach the babies Italian?"

"Of course. Teach them any language you want." I nearly fell over, arms grabbing at me and tugging me closer to the centre again, flopping against his chest. "I think I'm too drunk for this."

"We both are." Antonio agreed, slowing the dancing, breathing a little faster. He was smiling now, eyes crinkling, head on my shoulder. "There. Now you're smiling."

"I have everything. Nick, you, the babies, I don't have a reason to be sad." I replied, yawning, resting against his neck. Antonio's body was keeping me up now, and he clearly knew it, arms wrapping tighter so I didn't flop down.

"You've got us. We'll protect you."

"No." I leaned back, staring at him, a small smile. "No. I'll protect you."

Antonio's eyes met mine, mouth open, the smile still in the corner of his eyes. "While you're weak?"

"Till my last breath." I reminded him, and he nodded, breathing in slowly, his eyes shutting. For a moment he looked like Nick, more so than usual, as he let the words sink in.

"I know you would."

I felt a wall behind me, not aware that we'd headed for it, but I realised Antonio was swaying and had probably decided we needed additional support... how much had we drunk? I had thought, at the time, Aussie beer was a good idea... but apparently not.

"Can't stand up?" I asked as we leaned against it, my body pinned between it and him, Antonio's forehead resting against the wall beside me. He shook his head and I laughed, making him laugh, the two of us struggling to stay upright and not fall on our asses.

"That shit was awful, Anne. Awful." He muttered, shaking his head, a hand against the wall, the other keeping me upright. "Never again are you giving me Australian anything."

"You get the next choice, when we can get a babysitter and do this again." I promised.

"I'm holding you to that. You drink what I bring."

"As long as it's not expensive."

Antonio lifted his head, fixing me with a stubborn look, another echo of Nick there. "I said, you drink what I bring. Okay?"

"You're my boss." I replied, he laughed, and kissed me.

The action was so unexpected, so sudden, that I stood there, warm lips against mine, the wall meeting the back of my head. A warm flush spread through my chest at hte contact, rough lips brushing against mine, a kiss that was not at all fatherly. He'd kissed me before like this, that wasn't unusual, Nick kissed Elena like this but... but this was _Antonio_. He flirted a bit but he never did this.

But we were drunk, against a wall, and drunk. The kiss wasn't controlled or teasing, it was serious, his chest pressing harder against mine, and probably not because he was about to fall over.

"Shit." Antonio muttered, stepping backwards, nearly tipping over something. "Shit. Sorry. I don't ..."

"It's okay. Don't fa-" I grabbed for him as he tipped, trying to yank him up as I forgot I didn't have the strength to do that right now, and ended up falling over with him. An arm was quick to slide under my head as we fell, luckily, the coffee table shoved aside as we almost crashed into it. Somehow he ended up on top of me, which knocked the breath out of us both, making us laugh.

"Don't do what?" He laughed, lifting my head, checking to make sure it wasn't injured.

"Fail to lock the front door?" I yawned, shutting my eyes. I felt him get up, lift me onto the couch, throw a blanket over me.

"I'll see you in the morning."

Happy, sleepy, and a bit drunk... or maybe a bit drugged, there was not as much difference as I'd have thought, I curled up, hands under my chest, nuzzling into the fabric in the warmth of the blanket.

I woke to find him climbing on top of me in the dark, his face intense, almost triumphant, the drug and alcohol making it difficult for me to react.

Lips found mine again, harder, a bruising kiss that had nothing to do with innocent affection, body shifting above mine. He was trembling, the smell of alcohol, but he seemed strange somehow too. I didn't know how to explain it. I realised I was outside now, on the grass, near the walls. Huh? The ground was cold. Wet. An autumn leaf stuck to one of my legs. I stared up, confused, blinking slowly at him.

I saw stars above me, shut my eyes, felt something tickling my legs, breathing against my neck and making hairs rise. Weight. It was all over me. Something was pinning me down and the wet grass, rain, it was making me wet all over.

Something hurt, my eyes opening, something that for a moment bothered me. For a moment I saw it, someone on top of me, hip bones pressing into mine, pain in my hips. Arms hugging me close to him. Ow. Had I said that aloud? I wasn't sure.

I opened my eyes again, when I realised they were shut, seeing a man's shoulder and back against my chin, one of my bare legs dangling limp over his arm as he lifted it up. He was moving his bare bottom, a little ugly, a little saggy, a pimple there, up and down so fast that I wanted to giggle, except that it hurt, a strange disconnection from what was going on. The garden was getting a nice rain tonight. That was good. Summer had been dry.

Eyes shut again. Maybe I was struggling because I heard a voice against my ear.

"Trust me." He breathed against my neck, holding harder, tighter, not slowing. "Baby, trust me."

Baby?

He groaned, suddenly, as he came, heat flooding deep inside me. For a moment, it wasn't Antonio's face, but someone else. And someone else nearby. I tried to see them in the darkness. Legs. Laughter. Or was it something else? I couldn't understand who though and when they saw the shock in my face I was turned over, flipped onto my stomach, the man grasping my hips and pulling me back towards him. I felt him bend over, push himself back inside me, and start to thrust hard again, a low growl there with every thrust, claiming me. It was the wolf, I could sense it even without understanding it, the wolf claiming me for his, arms wrapped around my waist, gripping me there. I felt my body slide into unconsciousness as he claimed me, flopping forward, my body being slid backwards and forwards across the grass as darkness crashed over me.

I woke, sick, head pounding, sheets tucked in tight around me, vague memories of ...dancing? A kiss? I wasn't sure. I felt like shit. Same old 'not get drunk again' promise echoed through my head, as I rolled over, trying to not throw up.

Antonio looked exhausted. He was sitting there beside me, I could see that he was wet, maybe rain. Dirt on his shirt, on his hands, and on me. Lots of dirt on me. Had I gone outside?

"No more Australian beer?" I remembered, vaguely, that we'd agreed on that. Something about Antonio being the boss of alcohol from now on. I wasn't sure if that was accurate or not. Was that why he looked so buggered?

"No more Australian beer." He agreed. Antonio offered a plate. "Food. Eat."

"Nick here?"

"No." Antonio shook his head. He glanced at me, a strange look on his face, and when I met his eyes, he went back to his plate. "He'll be back soon."

"Work?" I glanced at the clock, cringing at the bright red light in it. It was after eleven. "You're late."

"Called a sick day today. They can survive without me for a day." He replied, flopped, trying to eat and sleep at the same time.

We ate, both united in hangover mess I assumed, my body aching from head to toe. I could remember other things, nothing making sense, though I swore for a moment Nick had been there. Maybe he'd found us drunk and ran away again. I wouldn't have blamed him if he did.

"The babies." I blinked, sitting up, cringing as the movement made blood go too fast.

An arm pushed me back down. "Reece has it. It's okay."

"It's not." Shit. They were my job, not Reece's job. "I should go."

"You're staying."

I shut my eyes as I tried to sleep, feeling water pressed against my lips, and opened them again. The sun had moved position, Antonio was gone, plate gone. I was clean now, dirt gone, my hair damp, and Nick was standing at the window, arms crossed, frowning. Shut my eyes, and then suddenly he was beside me, sun somewhere else, darkness cut apart by a lamp beside me, water sliding down my throat.

It was Nick again and he was trying to get me to drink. "Drink this. Remember how you got out in the garden?"

"I was in the garden?" I drank eagerly, tongue funny against the glass, eyes shut. "I don't remember that either. Just woke up here." I slid up, tugging him closer, nuzzling against his chest. "Welcome home."

"You're grounded." Antonio spoke, as he stroke in, cringing as light hit his eyes. "For leaving me alone with her. She has terrible taste in alcohol."

"She's got good taste in everything." Nick stroked my back, probably trying to suck up, and it worked. I leaned up to kiss under his jaw, gentle, using his head as a shield from the light coming in the window. "See? Except where to sleep. Honestly, Aussie, sleeping in the garden." He shook his head at me, but there was something there in his face when he looked at me, a tenseness, something that made my stomach clench.

I shut my eyes again, ignoring it, letting him snuggle me. When I opened them another half hour had passed and Nick hadn't moved, but looked like he was tempted to. "Stay put."

"What did you drink to be this bad?"

"Tyler injected her with something." Antonio was sitting up, I realised, changed. He still looked red eyed but better. "It might be a little while before it gets out."

"Tyler Lake?" Nick's entire posture changed from a relaxed slump against me to stiff, upright. "When?"

"Last night. We had words." I muttered, reaching out for him, refusing to let him up. "You leave too much. Stay here."

"I need to go to the bathroom." He gently unwrapped my hands. "And talk to dad. Find out what else I didn't know. Go back to sleep."

I let him lay me back, curling up, hiding my head from the light under a pillow instead. Nick returned, I wasn't sure how long after, and wrapped himself around me in the bed, chin on my shoulder. It felt like he was watching me sleep.

I rolled onto my back and felt his lips press against mine, gently, kissing.

"Why so tense?"

"My dad found my mate slumped over in the garden. Who wouldn't be tense?" He tried to joke. Tried to. As much as Nick tried to smile, that crease was there between his eyebrows, that 'I'm seriously worried' look.

"I don't even remember going out there." I stroked the crease, gentle. "Maybe I was looking for you."

"Maybe." He tried to smile, but it still didn't work. "Maybe you were."

"Nick, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He nipped my neck gently. "Nothing. I'm on holidays. You and me now, just us. We've finished organising the marketing campaign so you've got me all to yourself."

"Shame I feel sick." I muttered and he smiled a fraction. "Are we going home?"

"They're bringing the babies and Ana here instead. We don't want to leave this property for a while."

"Why? I thought you said you hated this place." I nudged him.

"Safer." He kissed me, gentle, stroking my aching forehead. "I'm sorry I was away so much."

"I wanted you to work."

"You came out here just for me." There was that look again.

I sat up, sudden, cringing as I felt pain shoot from my head right down to my toes, seeing scratches all over my legs and arms. Huh? "What's going on? Did I walk through a bush?"

"I think you might have been attacked out there." He sat up with me, hand stroking across some of the places covered up by bandaids. "Maybe you did walk through something. A rose bush. I'm more worried about getting that shit out of your system."

"Thanks." He was still lying. It confused me, I wasn't sure why he'd do that, and let him lie me back down and give me water through a straw. "Relax. I'm not dying."

"Course not. I just feel bad." He muttered. "You came out here for me and I ignore you again."

"I want you to be happy. Enjoy yourself." I nudged him. "I loved you when you were in the middle of your normal life, I didn't want you to change that."

"Except one night stands."

"Well, yeah." I nipped his finger, eyes shut, pressed against his leg. He was still sitting up. "No more that." I yawned, shutting my eyes, sleep giving back in.

It took several days before I really snapped out of it and realised that it was already Thursday when I looked at my phone. Thursday? I'd gone out on Friday. That didn't add up. I got out of the bed, and realised I wasn't even in that big mansion now. I was home. Forestwatch? What?

"Nick? Antonio?" I called, as I tried to dress, already feeling lost and I hadn't left the room. Things seemed wrong, all of it, the early morning sunlight bothering me, the sound of a car, the quiet outside otherwise. So quiet. There was no answer. I headed into the hallway, past one of the doors, vaguely aware that it had opened.

Arms grabbed me, scaring me, and I swung at the person hard. Clayton caught my hand before it got his face. "Already attacking?"

"You snuck up."

"I didn't." He scowled. "You want a shower before we go?"

"Go?"

"Elena sent me to bring you over." I tried to remember what he was talking about. Clayton blinked. "How much have they told you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I glanced around, confused, finding a wall to lean on. "We were in New York. When did I get here?"

"Yesterday. They had to return for the meet so-"

"Meet? Now?"

"Today, yeah." He wasn't sure what to make of it. "What do you remember last?"

"Being in Nick's giant house. He said I was drunk and … I ran into a rose bush? I don't know. Where's the babies?"

"Stonehaven."

"Why are they there?" I blinked, sudden, panic flooding through me. "Are they hurt? Did something happen?"

"No. Shit, hasn't anyone spoken to you?" He swore, glancing down. "Antonio found you in the garden torn up the morning after. Nick's there on overnight toddler duty again."

"That'd be the roses." I muttered.

"No. It wasn't roses." Clayton frowned. "Do you feel well enough to go?"

"Yeah. I'm just confused." I muttered. "I don't get ...why I've been asleep so long."

He waited outside while I showered, like some kind of guard, I heard him on the phone to Jeremy. The cold water helped snap me into some sense of reality, the disorientation and dizziness fading a little more. But not much. I had memories of liking how it was raining, and thinking that it was wet outside, but ...if it wasn't roses, then what? So what had happened? Antonio found me outside and I'd been ...what? It nagged at me.

"So what was it?" I asked as I stepped out, tugging the jacket shut, trying to fight the after effects of the drug.

"Hm?"

"If it wasn't roses."

"A couple of mutts who decided to rough you up pretty badly. Tyler and ...we're not sure. We dealt with him. He had his three warnings."

I blinked at him. "Why didn't they tell me?"

"Don't ask me. Nick's been acting strange since he got back. You're okay now." He shrugged. "Come on."

I went with him in the car, trying to get over the disorientation that came with loosing almost a week, and we made out way to Stonehaven. Nick took one look at me and told Clayton to take me back.

"She's pack, she's here."

I glared at Nick. "Roses?"

"You've been injured. You're weak." He tried to wrap his arms around me and I sidestepped. "Come on, Liz, you can barely stand."

That wasn't the point. I could stand fine if there was a wall nearby.

"Leave her alone." Jeremy came out to hug me. "It's just the drug. They gave you enough for a werewolf and …"

"I'm not?" I caught that end before he could say it. Maybe my version was a little blunter than he intended but he nodded, lips tightening.

"You are." Clayton growled. He headed inside, ahead of us. "Just got to wait a bit longer."

"You are." Jeremy agreed. "But your body's fluctuating between the two. It might return to normal on its own, we don't really know. If you want to be up for this then we're not going to argue. Are we?" He glanced to Nick, who was standing there with his arms crossed.

Nick sighed and threw his hands up, releasing the tension. "Course not."

"Why didn't you tell me they'd beaten me up?" I turned on Nick, Jeremy's hand tightening on my shoulder, angry at him. "It's not the first time."

"I didn't want to ..." He shrugged, avoiding my eyes. "Upset you."

"I'm upset. You promised to be honest with me, even if we didn't like it. Roses?" I pushed past him, ignoring his attempt at grabbing me. "Can't even make up a good lie."

My 'charge' into the house brought me right into Reece and the three toddlers, all three of them in is arms, all three trying to get into mine the second they saw I was awake. Reece hugged me, sa I hugged babies, helping me hold them all at once, a juggling act that relaxed me again as the babies giggled and prodded and grabbed at us. They thought this was a great game- try to not drop the babies- and didn't seem to care if they were at risk of being dropped.

"Why are we called here?" I asked, as Reece hugged me, his amusement fading somewhat.

"Got a problem. We need to figure out what to do."

"Disease?"

"Bingo." He finally managed to get them onto the ground. "Ana's babysitting. So's Paige."

"Paige?" I blinked and glanced past him into the living room. I could see her in there, her eyes coming up to meet mine, her own surprise there. "Hi. Didn't see you."

Paige stood up and stepped over, glancing at Jeremy who was behind me, confusion there. "What's wrong with you?"

"Something about drugs and alcohol and angry mutts. Why?"

"You're under a spell again." She reached out, touching my forehead, and I felt the confusion and disorientation literally lift off. "Feel better?"

"What was that?" I blinked. Suddenly, I wasn't disorientated, I wasn't confused, I didn't even feel sick. I was sore all over though and I suddenly saw it, when I hadn't before, saw the bruises there, the cuts turning into gashes, the injuries worse than I thought.

"Confusion, something else, gone now." She wasn't sure what to make of it. "Feel better?" I nodded, standing upright more, and Paige smiled.

"You sure it was a spell?" Jeremy asked, softly, a hand coming to rest on my shoulder.

"Yeah. Sorcerer spell." She spoke the last words, understanding, lips tightening. "I'll call Lucas while you're in the meet."

"Check everyone else first."

Paige did that, walking from person to person, as we settled down in Stonehaven's study. No one else seemed to be confused in any way and she left with the toddlers.

Jeremy and Elena were talking, quietly, Amar in the corner of the room.

Nick glanced at me. Now that I didn't feel like I had, I saw it, the fear there, something else, he was not okay. He kept glancing at me like he was afraid I'd breakdown right then and there. The wedding ring was back on his finger too now. I wondered when he'd put it on. When I got injured?

I glanced down at my own hands and saw rings. My own rings, back, repaired, and the diamonds a fraction larger. Or was that my imagination? Nick's hand slid over to mine, grasping it, refusing to let go when I tried to push him back.

Elena moved forward and there was no time for this. I pushed his hand back harder. She raised an eyebrow at us. "There's time for that later. The disease is spreading."

"We know, we've been hunting down the bitten mutts." Karl muttered. "They all got it."

"Tyler Lake has it."

The words echoed around the room, as it suddenly got quiet, each werewolf's mind ticking over that.

"He's not bitten." Clayton glanced up at her and she shook her head.

"He's not bitten. Amar did the autopsy on him-" I froze at that, no one had told me he'd been killed, but what had I expected them to do with him after it? "-and it's mutated. We have to stay put for now. Here."

"Shit." Nick muttered.

"There's already a mutts in the US who contacted us about the disease. It's not a secret now and they apparently are afraid they've got the fever- the early stage. So the question is, what do we do with them?" Elena paused.

"We're not sure how far it spreads." Elena admitted. "It only seems to exist in humans safely."

Amar moved forward and started to hand out sheers of paper. "We've got information on the disease. The more you each know, the safer you'll be. It's spread through water, it seems, and through bodily fluids. Humans carry it without harm."

"So now we need to figure out what to do. The werewolves are our responsibility and we're not able to let hospitals get hold of them as they get sick."

We went quiet then. Suggestions of killing them weren't attractive, even as it was suggested, and the hereditary werewolves couldn't risk going near them all of a sudden. This effectively put everyone who wasn't bitten on isolation in the house.

After a while Elena spoke up. "We've got two choices now. We're immune now, all the bitten that survived, and we could warn them. Tell them the early stages and signs of it and to stay out of sight. "Or we pretend that we're going to help, and kill every mutt that shows signs of being sick."

"That could be every mutt in America." Jeremy said quietly. "And their children."

"It could be." Elena agreed, quieter. "But they may die anyway, if they're dealing with this fever on their own, and may risk exposing themselves if they're found."

"Would fix some problems." Clayton spoke up, quiet too. "Ain't saying it's the right one but ..."

"If they survive they'll probably be like us. Weak. Nearly human. Yeah?" I asked. I ignored Nick's hand as he tried to grasp mine, at least at first, and then sighed and took it, relief in his face. I only tolerated it a moment before I pushed it away. Maybe the spell had made things worse but he hadn't told me the truth either, and that stung, because no matter how much the truth hurt, he'd promised to always give it.

"Most likely." Amar agreed.

"What if we don't leave them alone to deal with it? What if we help them survive it? Set up a safe place, keep them out of sight, keep them alive till it's over? They'd be pretty grateful."

"They might panic if they find out what the end is like." Clayton muttered. "Being human. I supposed we could tell them the bullshit about a cure and-"

"There might be a cure." Jeremy cut Clayton off with a sharp look.

"Yes, there might be, and do you know how long it can take to find one?" I replied, the bitterness creeping into my voice now. "It might take years. Decades. Nick, stop it, I don't want to hold your hand." I shoved it away and he stood up, leaving the room. Antonio got up and followed him quickly.

"We're working on it." Amar offered. "The help has been speeding it up."

"Do we cure them if we have a cure?" Elena asked, quieter, not really asking anyone but herself. She tapped the pen on the desk as we went quiet there.

"Anne might have been right about how grateful they'd be." Clayton scowled then. "But I don't want a bunch of mutts bowing to us. Bribing us for a cure. Resentful if we don't give it."

"If we don't tell them, they might get sick, and we can't kill them all." Jeremy muttered. "Don't forget- it's only the bitten who can leave the property now. You're all human, as far as your bodies think, except when you've changed. That'll limit how much you can do when taking mutts out."

"The only people who can leave to take care of them are the bitten." Elena spoke up then, louder. "Who protects the hereditary? How would we stand against a mutt's strength anyway when we've got the strength of a human man or woman?"

No one seemed to know. Truth was, no one really knew much about it still, except that it'd started out as a water born disease and had mutated at some point to spread through blood. No one even knew how or where it'd mutated. Winter would mean that it might slow down, when autumn cooled down enough, but mosquito were still carrying it around in the warmer states.

"Do we tell them all to go north into the colder states?" I asked. When they blinked at me, not understanding, I added, "Mosquitoes. Don't they spread blood based stuff like Ross River virus and malaria? Would they spread this?"

"They might." Amar nodded slowly.

"Or how to make sure that mosquitoes don't breed nearby." Jeremy nodded slowly. "Though in some area that may not work, some areas are wet and swampy. Avoid sharing food and water with humans."

"Why not let them just get it?" Karl muttered. "Solve a lot of problems."

"The more people that have it, the higher chance we get it. Your kid too." Jeremy reminded him. Karl blinked and his jaw tensed.

"We could start a hospital." Vi muttered. "Triage. Far from here. Tell them to come if they get sick. It will keep them out of sight and we can heal them or kill them as they come. Maybe there will be no more cases."

"Are we contagious?" I suddenly asked, blinking, lifting my head. "I mean, do we carry it?"

"You have the old strain. It clearly makes you immune to the new version, so no, you're not contagious to the werewolves here. If we were-" Elena smiled grimly. "Well, we wouldn't be having a meet."

That made sense.

"Anne?" Antonio called, from outside the window, "Can you come out here?"

I hesitated, Elena's head nodding in the direction of the door, and stood up. I went outside. Antonio looked stressed, suddenly.

"What is it? If it's Nick-"

"It's Nick. But don't go." Antonio's hand shot out to grab my arm. "I need your help. Come on."

I followed him through the house and outside, arms crossing. "You didn't tell me either."

"I was waiting for you to wake up properly. Half the things I said you didn't hear. I feel a bit bad, you were supposed to be under my protection."

"There was a spell on me, apparently, even you can't protect against that."

"A spell?" Antonio blinked at me. He paused, as we made our way through the forest, in the direction of Forestwatch. "You sure?"

"Second she stopped it, I felt good." I glanced around. "Are we going to Forestwatch?"

"We need to. Nick's there. You better hurry." He hurried, and I tried to hurry, pushing myself a little harder.

"What happened? When you found me?"

Antonio glanced back, hesitating, as we jogged. "You really want to hear it now?"

"Yes."

"It looked like you'd been beaten up and raped. I don't know if that was what happened-" He added, as I froze suddenly, reaching out. "You had your cycle and there was a … they used something to hurt you, something..." He hesitated, uncomfortable. "The gardener left a tool outside that had been used, the handle. It's possible that was what I saw. But you were hurt."

It had been due around then, but I froze a moment anyway, my heart suddenly pounding, fear and panic and rage trying to overwhelm me. This was why I didn't think about things like this. It always made logic fly out the window. "You think I was raped?"

"You were bleeding. But it may have been that time." He repeated, hand on my arm. "It may not have been what it looked like."

"You can smell though. Smell it. Was it there? On me?"

"Yes, and I smelt blood and... it. Only on the ground around you. Not on you. I didn't smell it on you. The rain was pretty heavy though." He didn't rush me, didn't push me to start to jog again, but I could see he wanted to, his legs tense, attention in the other direction. "If I was certain I would have told you. We took measures to protect you, a morning after pill, just in case, and Tyler wasn't able to have sex of any kind. He may have just used the tool to ...take revenge." It was bad enough, really, but he was trying to make me feel better. I wasn't sure if it was working or not.

"Why are we going to see Nick?" I tried to refocus my attention on the future, not the past, tried to get this out of my head.

"You'll see."

Nick was sitting beside the pool, sweating, his head in his hands. He glanced up as he heard us, a smile, but it was tense, stressed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm hot." He didn't mean 'sexy' either. He glanced at me, then at his dad, real genuine fear there. "I feel hot."

"His temperature's higher than usual." Antonio explained softly. "I can't help him if he's-" He hesitated, trailing off, hating the words. "Vi is coming with Ana to confirm it."

"You can't get sick too." I muttered.

"He can't get sick too." Nick agreed. "If it's that." His skin was shiny in the darkness, now that I looked at it, and his hand had been hot before. I hadn't thought about it.

"I can't drive." I couldn't get him away.

"No, but you have to get me away from here. From our babies." Nick muttered. "If it is-"

"It might not be." I interrupted him.

"If it is, we need to keep them well. They're too little." That fear returned then. Not for him but for everyone. Nick stood up, slowly, avoiding his father's gaze. "We need to leave now."

"Where will we go?" New York was out of the question if Nick changed like Clayton and Elena had. If he was sick.

"I'll call Elena." Antonio replied. He spoke on the phone to her, voice soft, and nodded. "We'll rent a place in the desert." Antonio answered behind me. "Dry. Not many mosquitoes. She's already arranging it. Vi will go with the two of you if it's the disease. Savannah and Adam are coming to assist with protection there, Paige and Lucas here. Amar will stay here."

"Okay." I agreed, turning back to Nick, who was still standing there, face white. "Nick?"

"I'm still here. Just trying to will it to be something else." He smiled at me, a weak smile, reaching out. "Can I hold your hand yet?"

I grabbed it and held it, relief in his face, fingers tracing over mine. "Still, be honest with me. About everything." He was warm, sweaty, but I wondered how much of that was fear. His heart was racing in his chest, the whites of his eyes showing, trembling.

"Dad thought they might have raped you. But he isn't sure. Maybe they didn't." He muttered. Rubbed his head. "There. I said it."

"He told me." I reached up to stroke his forehead, the sweat slick under my palm, warm skin against it. Nick leaned into me, lowering his head down so he could nuzzle against my neck, breathing in and out slowly. "It's okay."

"I meant to come home."

"It's okay. They probably just wanted to scare me after what I threatened Tyler with." I stroked down his arms, slowly, trying to ease him.

"Dad, you can go now. I don't want you to get sick." Nick glanced up at him. "Don't hang around. You might get it."

Antonio stood frozen on the spot, as if he couldn't quite bring himself to go. "You sure?"

"I've got him." I nodded and he frowned, hesitating, before he backed up. "Go. Make sure the kids aren't sick."

Antonio nodded, turned, and headed into the forest at a fast jog.

"Come on, I'll pack up some things, you stay in the kitchen."

"Love you." He kissed my neck, wrapping arms tight around me. "Carry me in your arms?"

I snorted and went inside, Nick behind me, leaning against me. Once he was safely in a chair, though he clearly was still well enough to try for 'pity kisses', I headed upstairs and threw things in a bag for us. Threw some of the triplet's clothing in too, I didn't want to go without something of them, and chargers...

"You're still going to help me after I ignored you?" Nick's voice came from the door, as I packed, leaning against it.

"You're annoying sometimes." I admitted, ignoring him, "But I love you. Course I am. I know you work hard."

"I just want Dad's approval. I wanted him to see that I could do this without screwing it up." He stepped closer, tugging a shirt out, throwing it to one side. "Not that one."

"Too unfashionable?"

"Get the dodgy ones. They won't last." He flopped onto the bed, sitting, watching as I packed. "Dad always expected me to fail and he kept letting me."

"Let you fail?"

"I mean, if I ask for something, he does it. Always." He muttered. "I want to do this one properly. Not screw up."

"You aren't going to screw it up." I reached out to stroke his face, finger across his ear, affectionate. "You want truth?" He nodded. "He's more worried about you and me, than your work. I think he likes your work."

"Us?"

I nodded and he sighed, rubbing his head. "Urgh. I don't know how to do it. Balance it. The clients want to be wooed, to be faithful to you, the women flirting and getting upset when I don't do it, and I want to work hard."

"You can flirt." I zipped up one of the suitcases and rested in his lap, gently, looping an arm around his waist. "I never said you couldn't."

"I know. I wanted to be a real husband. They don't flirt, I think, they come home by five, and … I have no clue. Marriage isn't something I understand much. You, us, being mates, that I get. Human marriage? No sense to me." He muttered, fingering his ring. "I experimented. If it was on, they weren't open to me, the clients. If it was off, they were happy to flirt and agree to things, even if they knew about you. I don't get them."

"That why you weren't wearing it?" I asked, softly, nuzzling against his neck, letting him have my scent. If he was sick...

"I lost it." Nick admitted, a sheepish grin. "It wasn't a planned test. You know, I had to fire my secretary because of it."

"You did? Why?"

"She'd hidden it on me. Flirted." He groaned, softly rubbing his head. "I had to stay back late to find a new one fast and do all that work. Found it hidden under the desk, taped there."

"That's what you get for hiring a young woman." I nudged him.

"She was _sixty two_."

I snorted, and he gave me a look, teeth biting my hand playfully. "Maybe I should hire you. You can flirt with me all you like."

"You wouldn't get any work done." I nudged at him, gently, trying to ignore the sweat, the pale skin. "We'd be in your office all day."

Nick nodded, breathing in and out slowly, trying to relax. The fear of what he was going into was still there, maybe because he'd seen us go into it... "Do you miss it?"

"What?"

"Being normal."

"So much that I want to stay a wolf sometimes." I admitted, and he tensed, his arm looping around my waist. "Very much."

"I'm not going to be able to smell you after this, am I?" Nick murmured against my neck. "Or them?"

"Cure, remember?" I nudged him. "Maybe you're not sick. We don't really know yet. Werewolves get sick with other things."

"Not often." He murmured. His head twitched down, and I knew Vi had arrived. Nick called, "We're here."

Vi came up with a bag and smiled a tense smile at us. "You look sick."

"Thanks."

"Shirt off. I will take some blood." She put the bag on the bed beside us, taking out some equipment, glancing at him as he blinked at her. "We can see it in your blood now. We know what to look for."

"How long does the test take?"

"We will be on the road when the results come. First though, up." She nudged at me and I got up, shifting out of her way, as Nick tugged off his shirt. I admired the view from the wall, his wink at me making Vi roll her eyes, no attraction or appreciation in her face. Vi felt the inside of his arm, prodding in, and wrapped a thing around the top. "Squeeze your hand. Okay. Small pain-"

I had to look away then, and heard Nick hiss in surprise, as she just got to the blood taking part. He complained, "That's not ..." at one point, then "Woah," and then I heard a gentle thump on the bed.

"Baby." She laughed and I turned to see what she was talking about. Nick had passed out on the bed, not from the fever, but from the shock of seeing his own blood taken out. "Men do this more than women. Tell me, has he had this long?" Vi yanked his pants down one hip and showed me something else. A long scratch mark, very long, that was red, raw looking, and even the horrible sight of white puss at one end.

"I don't ...know." I admitted. It looked like someone had scratched him. Had I done that? "I wasn't well."

"He is probably fighting an infection." She rolled her eyes as she prodded it. "No fever. Infection and fear. We can cover it up."

I felt fear suddenly, that maybe I'd given him the fever by doing this to him, that maybe I'd passed it on. But Elena said we couldn't do that. Maybe it'd attracted mosquitoes. I blinked as Vi held my finger to it. It was, at least, an exact fit.

"Maybe I did it." I muttered and she shrugged.

"Maybe."

A small cough from the doorway made us both jump. Ana stood there, face white, arms crossed. She smiled at me as I went over but her eyes were on Nick. When had she come here? I wasn't sure. Maybe she'd come back with us.

"Not at school today?"

"It seemed like a good idea to come here. Jeremy and Elena asked me to come back till the weekend was over." She replied. Ana glanced over her shoulder, Elena coming up the stairs behind her.

"Is he okay?" Ana asked.

"He fainted getting blood taking out. Watch." Vi moved to slap her hands together over his head, sudden, and Nick leapt up and blinked, staring around wildly. "He is good."

Ana tried to smile but flinched when Elena touched her shoulder.

"Does he smell like it?"

"I don't know." She was reluctant to even step into the room, her eyes going to me, then to Nick.

"Do we have a place to go?" I asked as Elena led her inside.

"All arranged. Just got to get the flights there. It's okay, Ana, he won't bite."

"Why are you asking Ana about his smell?" I gazed at her and she almost looked guilty, cringing a little.

"She can smell the disease." Vi explained. She was covering the cut along Nick's side as he cringed. "She warned me."

I glanced at Ana who got that guilty look back. Was she afraid she'd caused this? Or had she had to smell it on us before we'd gotten sick? I moved over to her and wrapped an arm around her, feeling her flinch, as if she wasn't happy about it.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, avoiding all of our eyes, backing up a bit. "It's not him that has the smell. He's fine. Someone else does."

"Who then, honey?" Elena asked softly.

"Dominic and Logan. I'm sorry. I ..."

Nick stood up, sudden, and my own panic reared up. Elena's face had drained as well, as she stared at Ana, her hand clutching Ana's shoulder hard suddenly.

Vi was the first to think clearly, as we fought with the panic, moving out and taking Ana with her, on the phone to Stonehaven.

Nick moved to grab both of us, arms capturing the two of us, and I didn't need to hear like normal to know that Elena's chest was probably being beaten up by her panicked heart as badly as my own. Our puppies. Our babies. I wanted to snarl, I wanted to thrash, beat someone up, I wanted to throw things out the window. Elena just stood there, face white, staring through Nick's shoulder.

"We can convert this room."

"No. No, we have to … isolate. It's the plan." Elena's voice wasn't working properly. She tried to shake her head. Tried to go with plan over her instinct to keep them close. "Isolate all sick werewolves, pack _and_ mutt, in the desert until they're well enough to care for themselves."

"We can put fly screen and mosquito nets on the windows and over the door. There's an en-suite in here. They're too little to be taken far away."

Elena seemed to agree, her jaw opening and shutting, her eyes shutting as Nick tried to hug her closer and kiss my forehead, his own body shaking. "Yes. Maybe you're right."

"Adults can be sent away. Not the babies."

"Not our babies. They're too little." She breathed in a low shuddering breath. "Ana?"

"Yeah?" Ana was standing outside in the hallway in Vi's arms, shaking a little herself. I wanted to hug her, comfort her, she looked devastated to have to tell us that.

"How strong is the smell?"

"Just faint."

"We've got time to set up then." Elena was speaking, trying to comfort herself, and when Nick pulled us closer, closing the gap, she didn't resist but leaned against me. "Don't worry, Ana, it's good that you told us early. We've got time. Antonio, no, Cla..." She hesitated. Shook her head. "No, it'll have to be Daniella. She'll have to go get what we need."

"Clayton's going to be fine with this." Nick tried to comfort her. "Trust me. He'll go a little dictator-ish if things aren't ship shape but..."

"I know. Which is why we need to make it clear everything's under control before he gets here. Vi, call Daniella, tell her we need her to separate Logan and Dominic and then to go buy these things and bring them back. Nothing cheap. Make a list between yourself and Amar about what we need. She has to leave in half an hour. I'll bring them back myself. Nick, you have to leave."

Nick froze then. "I can't leave. It's my son."

"You have to leave or you'll get sick. We might let you look in the doorway but you can't ..." She withdrew, as his arms got a bit too tight, his heart racing. "Sorry. But you might get it from him."

Nick clung to me, harder, the sweating and warmth from the infection nothing to this. I could feel it,every inch of him wanted to resist and plant himself down here. In the doorway. Guard them.

"Help me clear the room of our stuff." I asked, soft, and he blinked, nodding. The room may have been too big, realistically, for just two little bodies but ...the windows were easily covered, it had an en suite, and wooden floors. Plus it was home. It was my home, my territory, and I didn't want to take my baby off it. He knew this room as well as he knew his room.

Nick and I worked quietly, throwing things into suitcases and bags, and we dismantled the bed. It'd just get in the way in here. Vi brought in the pieces of the smaller beds from another room, as we passed the big one to her, Dominic's toddler bed and a single bed. The reality of what this was going to mean only sunk in when we saw them there, side by side, and restraints arranged. Restraints. For these tiny beds.

"I don't know if I can do this." I admitted, as I stared at Dominic's bed, just barely four feet long, a teddy bear still tied to the edge. What if they weren't sick? That'd be a relief but … Nick carried out the mirror and set it in the room we'd dumped the big bed. He returned, wrapping his arms around me from behind, his fear of the mild fever he had forgotten now.

"We'll do it."

"You're going to need one more bed." Vi spoke up, after half an hour, and we realised Ana had gone. Fear screamed in my head, that it had spread already, that it was going to spread. Faster.

"Who?"

"For the shift worker. Whoever is watching while they are sick will need a bed."

I breathed out, a slow deep breath of relief at that, and nodded. She didn't mean that Ana had smelt it on another person.

We got the last single bed in there, making the sheets for the three of them, Vi directing us to use plain white things, single pillows, white blankets with spares folded up nearly on the dresser. We emptied it out so that she could fill it with other things, medical stuff, spare sheets, spare clothing for whoever was in here.

Elena returned with Dominic and Logan. Logan looked wary, as if he suspected something was going on, Dominic blissfully unaware. He lit up at the sight of us, arms going up for us, and Nick grabbed him to hug him close. Elena pried his arms off him, or attempted to, the harder she tried, the harder Dominic tried to hang on. Maybe he could sense the distress in Nick, because I could, and it broke my heart when I realised that the only one who'd separate them was me. Damn. Damn. Damn...

"Nick..." I said, quietly, and he glanced at me, nostrils flaring over and over, Dominic's head against his neck. "You have to stay healthy."

"I know." He glanced down, trying to smile as he handed Dominic over, a grimace that made Dominic's face scrunch up in a frown. He only relaxed when he realised it was me he was being handed to and calmed down again. "Shit. I know."

"You've got to go downstairs now. Into the den. Shut the door." Elena spoke softly but it was a firm order, not a suggestion. He scowled, nodded, and headed downstairs. "You can stay as long as you stay there. You'll hear everything that goes on. I want you to leave tonight though."

It was getting dark before Daniella returned and we got the nets up, using glue and nails, not worrying about how it'd look once this was over. She'd gotten it for everyone else too, Elena vanishing with the materials to take it to Stonehaven, and we worked as the light faded in the room, Logan reading a book and his attention on us, Dominic trying to copy the bigger boy. Another set of nets across the door, so that people had to walk through them, which would hopefully do some good.

"It's my turn, isn't it?" Logan spoke up, as he watched us, pages unturned.

"For what?"

"To be sick."

"It is. But it won't be long." I hoped it wouldn't, anyway. "Matt was only sick for a week."

"A week's a long time." Logan said, quietly. "Mom going to be here?"

"I think we'll have trouble getting her to leave. Your dad too." I smiled weakly, watching Dominic tip a truck on its side, trying to see the first sights of the sickness. There was nothing yet but Ana seemed sure.

"Can I write them a letter?"

"Huh?" I blinked. My mind immediately assumed it was a 'goodbye letter'. "Why?"

"I'll tell them to get sleep." He decided. "They might not sleep if they think I want them awake and I don't."

Vi smiled somewhat. "That might be a good idea." She brought him up some paper and pens. When he was done, with some help from her, Vi asked, "What would you like to listen or watch while you're sick?"

"Won't I be too sick?"

"Not all the time. Tell me and we will make a list." I wondered if she was right. Maybe she was just humouring him until he was too sick to care.

She had us make dinner while she watched the two of them, Daniella and myself heading downstairs, Daniella looking as upset about this as I was. She had a soft spot for the babies, ever since she told me why she was afraid of babies in general, constantly trying to help. Mothering them. If I had one baby that may have been annoying but I had three, and any extra arms had been welcome.

"I'll help." She said, softly, as we heated up something instead of cooking from scratch.

"I know." I tried to smile.

We covered the pre-made pizzas with some extra things, halfway through the cooking, they were too crappy to be left alone. I thought so anyway. Vi came down, sent Daniella up to watch the kids, and got me to mix up some other things, orange juice, some other things, she wanted there to be as much nutritious food cooked up that night as possible so it could be free to use.

"This training for helping mutts?" I asked, trying to joke. Vi didn't joke. She just nodded a stiff nod.

"Vegetable soup with chicken. Freeze it in small bags. Make some vegetable soup and chicken separate and separate vegetable and chicken from broth so we have broth. Do we have many oranges?" She wrote it down as she said it.

"A bag."

"I will make a list." She pinned Logan's list to the fridge, instructions for soup next to it, and started a new one. "Make as much ice as you can."

"We don't have enough ice trays."

"Then we buy that too."

I nodded and started to get vegetables out for the soup. Practical was a good way to behave at times like this. My baby was sick? Then I had to work and not panic. Working was good. "We'll need more vegetables. More chicken."

"Use as much as you can. Lots of water. It can be weak soup." She shrugged. "Left over is good too. Make a lot."

I nodded, slicing up the celery, onions, anything else I could get my hands on in the fridge. Nick came in, slowly, apparently having not left the house the entire time. He smiled a small smile at me, ignored Vi's glare, and picked up a knife.

"Soup making?" He was asking if he could help, in other words, his attention on the floor above us. Nick was already washing his hands.

"Till Elena chases you out." I pushed half the bags of veges at him and onions. "Put onions into the bowl first, we'll fry them up a bit."

"Dominic sounds okay right now." He said quietly, trying to cut the onions without crying and failing. "Shit. How do we do this?"

"Fast." I might have gotten a bit more used to it than him through. We dumped the onions and garlic into the soup pot in the middle of us, working, Nick ignoring the sweating. "Did I scratch you there?"

"Getting into the car, you did, yeah." He grinned at me. "It was very cute."

"Cute." Vi snorted. "You have strange ways of being turned on."

"It's infected. You should have cleaned it." I rolled my eyes as he shrugged.

"We don't usually get infected, remember? Guess you had something nasty under your nail." He shrugged and continued to slice up things. "Last of onions." Nick threw the bits of onion into the bin that were making his eyes water and run all over the place, growling at it, and slid the pot at me. "Do I do the rest?"

"Yeah, just chop them up." I nodded and took the pot.

We cooked the soup, Nick taking orders, Vi making lists and on the phone to Pav who suggested other things. Herbs and spices that were helpful, that Vi didn't think of, other foods. I wasn't even sure if they would eat, to be honest, but the practical work made me feel better. Water was poured into two soup pots, chicken fried as the water heated up, skin and all, and then we dumped half the veges into each pot, the fried onion too, and vegetable stock. It'd be weak but Vi was right- it'd have a lot of good stuff. Then we ate pizza, pizza taken upstairs, trying to stay calm and not panic. Panic was a very good idea, somewhere deep in my mind, but ...

Dominic showed the first signs of it. The second Daniella called down that he was sweating, Vi had to shove Nick out of the house. When he refused to go, Elena showed up quickly, Clayton with her, and between the two of them got him to get in Elena's car. Clayton stayed with us, heading straight upstairs, planting himself in the room and waiting.

I went upstairs and we sat there, watching Dominic sweat and play, Logan starting to look a little less happy himself. He was trying to hide it through where as Dominic didn't know or care about that game. The second he started to feel warm, he started to grizzle and complain, coming up to us for comfort. I sat next to him as he lay on his bed, fanning him, heart in throat as I watched him get more and more upset with the uncomfortableness of the heat. He was still accepting water though in sippy cups. Logan was drinking lots too, Clayton coming up and down the stairs for water, till Vi gave him a jug and cups and told him to get it out of the bathroom.

By nine, we got the two of them to go to sleep, which wasn't that hard when we got a fan out and had it move between the two of them. Clayton planted himself outside the door, sitting on the floor in the hallway, I sat opposite him with my legs against the wall,the door ajar so we could listen. The plan was to check every half hour.

Neither of us slept or spoke. We sat there, taking turns to sneak inside, refusing to move, waiting. It was almost sunrise when Clayton finally spoke up, exhausted looking.

"Think it's a natural disease?"

I blinked at him, trying to snap out of the sleepiness, trying to let the words sink in. "I didn't think about it."

"That sorcerer shows up a year and a half after he has a fit about a baby he was hoping to get, makes up shit about you in Central Park, then suddenly you're sick. Then we're all sick. Now it's spreading to our kids." He spoke quietly, softly, glancing inside. "I ain't a big fan of coincidence."

I blinked at him, slowly. It hadn't even occurred to me to connect them. "I- I didn't even think about it. I guess it is pretty close."

"Your attack too."

"Tyler Lake?"

"Who had the mutated version. I was surprised he showed his face to you after what you did to him and after our warnings. His history with the pack should have kept him away from now on. Seemed like a suicide mission, not revenge, like he was _hoping_ you'd kill him." He spoke softly. "Maybe he knew he was sick."

"Did you get to question him?"

"No. The fever got to his head before we found the hole he'd crawled into." Clayton glanced to where his son was sleeping. "What did he do with you?"

"Beat me up. Injected someth-" I breathed in, sharply, understanding what he was getting at. "You think it wasn't just sedative, do you?"

"I don't think so."

"Did you tell Elena?"

"Course. And Jer. There's no proof yet though."

Dominic's cry made us both flinch, I jumped up to my feet, heading inside. He had gotten hotter and sweatier all night, though the fan had eased it for him, but now he was feverish. Clayton wasn't far behind, offering the ear thing, so we could get a quick reading. I smelt urine though, and relaxed somewhat, _never_ in my life having been as relieved as I was right now that he'd dirtied his nappy. Maybe that was all it was.

"I'll wake Vi just in case." Clayton said, voice soft, as I comforted Dominic. Clayton backed out.

Water seemed to calm him down, he took the cup and grasped it, the tears flashing in the darkness. Or was it sweat? He snuggled up to me, hiccuping a little, dark curls sticking to his damp forehead, a thumb replacing the water when he'd drunk as much as he could. Vi came in and while she checked him, I changed his nappy, Logan still fast asleep. Vi checked him too, quickly, but his fever was still fairly under control, not too bad.

Vi tugged off Dominic's damp sheets and replaced them with some of the fresh ones, dropping the soiled ones in a bag, and once he was changed he calmed down more, falling asleep against me, curled up in my arms.

"He is all right." She reassured me, as she measured his temperature again. "Put him down and let him sleep some more."

I thought of something, as I put him down, and glanced at Clayton who was waiting out in the hallway. Dominic was asleep within seconds of touching the sheets, relaxing again, his little hand curling around the leg of the teddy bear.

"Clay, I haven't gotten close to them since I got sick. They wouldn't let me." I said, quietly. "It couldn't be from me."

"Mosquitoes might have spread it." He answered. Frowned. "Come on. We need sleep. Vi, can you wake us if-"

"Of course I will wake you. Go sleep." She nodded, sliding down to take the place we'd sat in, yawning as she woke herself up.

I crawled onto one of the spare beds, Clayton heading for the couch downstairs, and tried to sleep through all the nightmares and anxiety that came flooding into me from the day's attempts at pretending I was okay. It was not a good sleep.


	7. Moving

The sound of furniture being moved woke me. Soft whispers. People shifting back and forward. How long had I been asleep for? Three hours?

I jumped out of bed, tugging clothing back into the right places, hurrying into the hall. Elena and Daniella were moving another mattress into the room.

"Who is it?"

"No one. We wanted to have another bed in there."

I sighed, slumping against the wall, relieved for a second. Then, "Are they sick?"

"A little more now, yes. Not critical." Elena smiled a quick tense smile.

We headed in and I saw that there was already one single mattress against the wall, Clayton sprawled out on it, fast asleep. Sleeping in here? That made sense. Logan was lying in bed watching a TV, sweaty, looking pretty pale, and Dominic was sitting beside him, sweaty and red faced, but very distracted by the movie. Good old Ponyo. It got them every time.

The second the other mattress was dropped down and made up, it was offered to me, and I crawled into it gratefully. Seeing Dominic okay, and Logan too, after three hours of nightmares about them close to death, was enough to bring back that need for sleep.

I lay back and watched as Elena took a 'guard' post instead, pretending to watch the movie as she watched the kids instead.

"Are the girls okay?"

"No sickness. All three are fine. No one else has gotten sick overnight at Stonehaven. They've taken precautions, rested up, and we've decided to warn the mutts in two days if there's another case." Elena rattled it all off. Her eyes went to the pillow I was ignoring. "I'll watch, here's your phone-" She tossed it to me, "-already on vibration, Daniella is working on breakfast, everything is all taken care of. So have a good rest."

"Yes, mam." I flopped back and shut my eyes. "Nick okay?"

"He's not sick, but he was awake all night apparently, watching the girls sleep." She replied.

When I checked messages, Nick having sent me an hourly report. Most of them were 'sleeping fine xxoo' or some variety of it. I wasn't sure where I'd left my phone but I hadn't even thought of sending messages back. Maybe Elena had hid it? I doubted it. It was more likely she'd sat on it somewhere I'd lost it. I texted back 'Dominic watching Ponyo' and passed out.

The day passed slowly. Both boys got sicker, we knew they would, but it was hard to watch. The worst part was how helpless I was to stop it, I just had to sit there pretending to smile at Dominic as he just got sick, lost interest in us, his eyes shut as he entered the phase of the disease that knocked him out. Logan wasn't far behind him there. We increased checking their temperatures to every fifteen minutes instead, not that it was really needed, because at least one adult was close enough to see if they sweated more than usual. It wasn't like with the adults.

By now Nick was constantly texting me, and I tried to text back, though I'd get distracted easily. We were trying to prepare ourselves for something we'd seen in the adults, fevers that were dangerously high, hallucinations, and convolutions.

Dominic cried, when he was awake, not understanding why he hurt. I couldn't say or do anything to comfort him besides sit with him, or let him hear Nick's voice on the phone. It didn't matter that he wouldn't remember this after- it tore at us, ripped our guts out, tortured us worse than anything. Logan wasn't much better, all his calmness gone, maybe the fear of what he'd seen finally coming through the self-control he usually showed.

Nick showed up at three that night, standing outside the door, clearly about ready to burst through the net, illness be damned. It was Clayton who had to keep him out there, and while the balance of strength had been tipped in Nick's favour, he seemed unable or unwilling to go against Clayton's will.

Finally I had to leave Dominic to Clayton's watchful eyes, I knew he wasn't going to fail me there while Elena had Logan, and took Nick down to the kitchen myself, leading him gently by the hand away from the room.

"We can't let you get sick too." I reminded him, as his eyes kept fixed on the room above, hand shaking.

"He's tiny."

"I know." I hugged him, wrapping arms around his chest, a tremble there when I got close enough to feel it. I was shaking too. Nick leaned against me, breathing in and out fast, head twisted in the direction of the room above us. "What is going on?"

"Clayton's talking to him." He replied, shutting his eyes, chin resting on top of my head finally. "You hungry?"

I blinked. I hadn't even thought about it. "Probably."

"I'll go home when we've eaten. Deal?"

"Deal." I went to the fridge, or tried to, but Nick directed me towards a chair and went to do it himself. Sandwich, microwave, melted cheese, tomato and chicken, slightly stiff bread from the torment of the microwave, and from Nick it was the best thing I'd eaten for days. We ate with one hand, the free hands holding, fingers playing and hunting each other, trying to be light hearted. Maybe we were both tired enough to need a smile.

"Everything's okay up there. Dominic's asleep." He informed me, as we ate, resting his head on his free arm when the food was gone. This wasn't comfortable, apparently, and he scowled, standing up. "Come on. Cuddle before I go."

"And Logan?" I had no willpower to resist that offer right now and followed him into the living room, letting him tug me on top of him as he flopped onto the couch on his back.

"Also asleep, Elena's reading a book to him." He yawned, shutting his eyes, tugging a cushion under his head. "Temprature is high but not dangerous. Vi is napping, is she?"

"She stays asleep at night unless it's urgent. We sleep during day." I yawned, another shudder, exhausted already. It was, according to the phone, just before four in the morning. "How are the girls?"

"Missing Dominic and Logan and you. And everyone." One of Nick's hands stroked along my back slowly. "Smart girls. Dad's on watch. I was supposed to be sleeping but I tried and … here I am. Shh. Don't tell anyone."

"I think they noticed." I replied, dryly, and he laughed. "How are you feeling?" I reached up to touch his forehead. It was dry, cooler, he was breathing okay under my ear.

"I'm not sick. I was just overreacting."

I intended on teasing him about this, admitting it, but the gentle stroke of his hand under my top, the sound of his lungs inhaling and exhaling under me, the slowing heartbeat, it lulled me into sleep before I could open my mouth.

A gentle shake made me jump, Nick's arms tightening around me, a mutter of 'Don't you dare move her, Clay'.

"Nick's ordered to go home." He smiled a tense smile at Nick. "Let her up."

"Five more minutes." Nick muttered. "She's warm."

"He's too close to the kids right now. We don't want him getting sick." He reminded me, my eyes flying open, and I slid off with Clayton's help, Nick's arms failing to keep me there. "Nick, home."

"I'll get sick so I can stay." He might have been trying to joke, grabbing for me, but Clayton kicked him hard, so sudden and violent that the couch tipped over, Nick going over with it with a yelp, the wooden frame cracking.

"I'll replace that." Clayton glanced at me, then turned on Nick as he got up, aiming another kick, not kidding. "Head on upstairs, Anne. I got to go to Stonehaven to spend time with Kate, so I'll drag him behind me." He looked angry, really angry, as he advanced on Nick. "You want to change that statement?"

I left Clayton to it and hurried upstairs. There had been not much chance from when we'd fallen asleep, it'd only been half an hour, the kids asleep, Elena sitting against the wall beside Logan, her head tipping forward as she fought sleep. Vi snored softly on the mattress.

Elena's eyes opened as I came in and she smiled a tired smile, then glanced at Logan. He lay there, breathing a little too fast, sweat glinting in the dim light coming from the hall light, a hand clutching hers so hard the skin was white, head right up against the edge of the bed beside her.

I slid onto the floor beside Dominic, his hand on the teddy again, fast asleep, eyes moving under the lids as he dreamed. It might have been easy to think he was just asleep, if it wasn't for the damp pillow or the bowl and the damp cloth beside him. A quick check, his temperature up again, and I gently wrung out the cloth so I could stroke it against his head.

He froze, suddenly, twitching, mouth open, eyes rolling back in his head, the whites of his eyes staring at me. I jumped up, knocking the bowl over in my panic, heart hammering as I stared at him. I didn't know what to do. Vomit bubbled out of his mouth.

"El- Elena..."

Elena was up beside me, pushing Vi with a foot as she passed her, a hard kick that got the Russian up in seconds.

"It's okay." Vi was beside Dominic in seconds, shaking the red curls as if she was trying to shake her sleep out of her head, rolling him onto his side as his tiny body jerked and convulsed, tipping his head down so that the vomit came out. "It's okay. Don't panic."

"What is it? What's going on? Is he too hot?"

"No. It's okay." Vi didn't look at me, scowling as her hair kept getting in her way, and Elena grabbed it, tugging it back. "Thank you. It happens sometimes. We did it too. He's not in danger as long as he can breathe."

She could say that till her face was blue, all I could see was my baby shaking and jerking, eyes back in his head, throwing up, so afraid that I felt the first itch of change for the first time since my own disease. Elena's arm tightened around me. I tried to stay calm, I really tried, trembling as Vi took over, glancing at her phone every few seconds, the seizure just keeping on going, and going, and going...

Then suddenly he relaxed, body going limp, blinking sleepily up at us. Dominic took a few seconds to think about this, about what had just happened, eyes fixed on my face, before he started to cry and sat up, trying to grab for me. I lifted him up, trembling, Vi stroking his back.

"He won't remember it." She said softly, as I tried to not cry too. "It might be the vomit he's upset about."

He probably was, and I let her led us into the bathroom, stripping his clothing off. He needed changing too, tears running down his face as he stared at the distress in my face, letting Vi wash his mouth out carefully with water as she cooed to him gently.

"Smile, he'll calm down." She said, softly, as she stroked his face. "Such a brave boy."

I tried to smile, Dominic's dark eyes going from her to me, unsure, the crying slowing down as he took in my smile. She was right. He calmed down, letting me change him, letting us lower him into a bath that Vi ran, a little upset but apparently okay. No harm done, nothing wrong, just a fright for me.

I bathed him as Vi changed the sheets and cleaned up, the lukewarm water clearly nice against his hot skin, and he even took an interest in one of the ducks for a moment when my smile didn't vanish. It was still fake- I wanted to bawl my eyes out- but he either didn't know or care. Once he was dressed in a fresh nappy and Pjs he happily curled back up in bed, thumb back in mouth, the duck nearby.

"Some children have it." Vi explained softly, as my smile faded, eyes locked onto him till he was asleep. "During a fever. It does not harm them."

"If you say so." He did seem okay now, already asleep, and had even played in the bath for a moment.

Elena's hand squeezed my shoulder a moment before she went to check Logan's temperature. She glanced up at Vi. "Bath for Logan now."

"Let's see." Vi moved over, nodding. "Okay. Come on. Up we get." She helped Elena lift him up, ignoring his complaints. "Stay with your boy. If he does it again, turn him onto his side, time it, and keep his mouth clear so he can vomit. Stay calm." She was already running a bath as she spoke to me, the two of them in the bathroom, Logan sitting on the edge of the bench as he slumped against his mum.

Dominic didn't do it again, and he seemed to get better, but Logan got worse. Elena was trying to stay calm, she was trying very hard, but by the time day time had come and Logan's temperature had only dropped a fraction, even she couldn't stop herself from biting at people, snapping, till Clayton returned with Amar and I made her come with me into one of the spare bedrooms.

"Sleep." I pointed at the bed. Some part of me hated this, ordering my alpha, but right now she was mother. Another mother.

"I should-" Elena muttered, glancing behind me to the hallway, the dark shadows under her eyes and the pale skin almost making her look sick again.

"Clay's back. He'll tie you down if you don't." I wasn't sure about that, to be honest, but she sighed and crawled into the bed.

"You sleep too." She muttered, trying to order me, but she was too tired to put much effort into it. Elena fumbled with her phone, setting the alarm for four hours. "Wake me if-"

"Course we will." Clayton's voice came from the doorway. "You heard her. Sleep. Let us take care of it."

We returned to the room. I found out why Clay had come for me- Dominic was having another fit, Vi beside him, soothing him as he jerked. He didn't throw up this time but it wasn't any less scary. Thirty seconds, apparently, and he relaxed, eyes going to me.

This time I tried to smile and he didn't cry, just blinked, a little confused looking.

"Time to change you again?" I asked, moving over, and Vi nodded a tight smile at me.

"Yes." Dominic spoke, blinking, sitting up. His rare voice, so solem right now, as he tried to smile back. "Time."

"I think he's getting better already." Vi said softly as she moved past me.

I changed him, Amar checking him, the fever apparently lower again. He gazed up with a little more interest as a light was shined in his eyes, grasping for the torch, and inspecting it as Amar checked him over.

"It took Matt a week to recover." I muttered.

"Dominic is not at the stage Matt is in changing and is younger." Amar looked thoughtful as he watched Dominic grasp the torch and hold it to his eye himself. "It might be a clue."

He glanced up to Vi, who was bent over Logan, who did not look okay yet.

"Still a bit hot." She replied. Clayton was sitting beside him now.

"We'll try another shower." Amar was already heading for the bathroom as Logan was lifted up in Clayton's arms, Vi not far behind.

I sat with Dominic, who stayed awake now, hands making the baby sign for 'hungry'

"He's hungry." I called, relief at this news.

"You can take him downstairs for some soup." Amar called back. "Bring it back up though."

I lifted Dominic up and we went downstairs, his hand playing with my hair and the duck, a little hot but alert now, eyes with life in them again, waiting eagerly as I made the soup and brought it back up into the bedroom. He ate it all too, yawning, and fell asleep again.

Logan ignored the offer of food and continued to get worse as the day got on, hotter, more feverish, till Amar was forced to use medication to help keep him calm. He started to see things in the room that weren't there, even as Elena came back, struggling and fighting, having nightmares. It wasn't at a 'all hands on deck, panic' range, apparently, but one look at Elena and Clayton and it'd be easy to assume otherwise. I didn't blame them there.

The only good news was that, still, no one at Stonehaven had gotten sick. Not the girls, not Kate, no one. There were two mutts sick now, Daniella had left with Savannah and Adam to deal with them, the three already in the desert and setting up with Amar's guidance over the phone. No one seemed keen to take Amar or Vi away from Logan, even if they were both qualified to deal with it.

I used the afternoon as a chance to nap in a spare room, Dominic beside me, a mosquito net over us just in case. He got better and was well by evening, where as Logan remained bad then, still, throwing up, refusing to drink or eat and having to be forced to drink the cold broth we'd made. When Dominic went to sleep for the night I helped out, so that Elena and Clayton could get some rest in the spare room with Dominic, through there wasn't much really anyone could do except wait and get him to drink. But by the time midnight came, he seemed to be sleeping peacefully, the nightmares gone, and Vi was sure that he was starting to come out of it.

Two that morning, Antonio showed up and walked into the bedroom, ignorin Vi's hiss of 'Get out!', sitting on the ground beside Dominic. He smiled weakly at me, stroking Dominic's curls gently, refusing to budge when Vi pushed at him.

"We don't know when he's not contagious." She hissed.

"You, myself and Anne have to leave now. For the makeshift hospital." His eyes met Vi's eyes, for a moment, and she blinked.

"Now?"

"Now." He replied. Stood up slowly. "Pack up."

I saw it, suddenly, as Vi moved out of the light. Antonio was sweating, his breathing shallow, and was tense. He caught my stare and shrugged lightly.

"Bags are in the car, plane is waiting, and we've got to go. I'm sorry we have to rush but-" He rubbed his head. "I wanted to leave the second Ana told me it was my turn. I didn't want to spread it. Dominic is looking better."

"He's more or less over it." I replied, moving up, touching Antonio's forehead with my palm. He was warm. Maybe not noticeably so, not normally, but it wasn't a warm night. "You sure?"

"Yeah." He replied softly. "I'm sure. Nick doesn't know yet. We'll call him from there."

I nodded slowly, Antonio's hand coming up to take mine away from his forehead, eyes going over me to the door. Elena was standing there.

"Daniella has already got the hospital set up." She let him know quietly. "There's a hidden area for pack, so they don't know which of us are sick, and the rest is ready. You need to go help now. I'll take Dominic back when he's fine."

"Call me if the girls get sick." I didn't need to say it. I knew she would. But she nodded and offered me one of the bags I'd tried to pack when I thought Nick was sick. "If Logan gets worse."

"I think he's getting better." Vi said softly, hand brushing across Logan's forehead. "He sleeps calmly now."

"You better get going before Antonio gets worse." Elena handed me the bag and I nodded. "Don't worry about us. I'll send Clayton to join you if Jeremy ..." She didn't want to say it, couldn't, and bit her lip somewhat.

"We'll be fine." Antonio replied quietly. "Don't worry. I got out of there when I found out."

We headed downstairs, the car already running, Vi not even bothering to pack much except for the medical equipment she wanted to take. She'd already packed that, apparently, she'd already gotten ready to leave for the 'hospital'.

As we drove for the airport I called Nick and let him know Dominic was safe. Then I handed the phone to Antonio. We were far enough now to not be chased down by Nick, we weren't sure if he would or not, but he seemed ...almost calm ...about it. Maybe he was less worried about his father's strength. Deep down it worried me, Antonio being sick, because it seemed that the longer a person had been a werewolf, the harder it was on them to be sick like this. Like chicken pox. The kids seemed to fight it off okay and the adults struggled. Clayton had taken _three weeks_. How long had Antonio been a werewolf now? Longer than Clayton.

The flight was a quick one though, thankfully, and the half-demon Adam picked us up on the other side. The kids had taken hours for it to show, a gradual process that had given us time to think. Antonio wasn't getting that. He had already started to sweat on the plane, worrying the flight attendant, and leaned against me or Vi now, half-awake. He was still holding onto his mind and his sense of what was going on, thankfully, but I suspected that wasn't going to last much longer. The hospital was an hour's drive out of the city in the middle of the desert. Literally. It was really just an old set of buildings, maybe an old factory, the inside reminding me of the place I'd been held captive in.

Then I realised why. It was the place. I hadn't even thought about this, what the pack or the Cabal had done with it, and Vi froze too when she realised where we were.

"Did they tell you it was here?"

"No." I felt a shudder go through me as I stared at the space. Ghosts, memories in the back of my mind, of how I'd left it. Corpses. Blood. Horror. Snow outside. "No. They didn't tell me."

Daniella had tried to change it, we could see that, she'd tried to change every inch of it. Clean it. Scrub it. Had the bars and cages torn out. There were new ones now, different cages, single beds inside made of thin metal frames, but the cages were empty for the moment. In one of the other 'wings', the one I'd found Pav and Vi in, were some more single beds. Two of them were occupied, wooden shelves with things on it. Flowers, actual flowers, and books. A TV. Rugs. Paint on the walls that was new. Daniella had done her best to cover it up as much as she could.

"She was here on her own." I muttered.

"Not on her own." Daniella spoke up, from beside us, a tense smile. "We've reclaimed this as ours now. Hello." Savannah was beside her, a warm smile there.

"We're going to use this space for the right thing." Vi muttered. "Claim it."

I just saw the ghosts, the corpses, the places along the wall where girls had died. I didn't know how I could stay here.

Antonio's groan, as he leaned heavier against us, brought me back to reality. "Where are we taking him?"

"Follow me. There is a place upstairs we can use."

She led us through the halls and into what looked like a manager's office and storage room. There were a few beds in the storage room as well, a room I hadn't been in, clean sheets on them, beds in the office. Antonio was lowered onto one of the beds in the storage room.

"The Cabal took care of this place when they found out he was half sorcerer." Daniella explained softly as she helped him by tugging his shoes off. "Cleaned it out. Jeremy made them tear every last trace of it out and destroy it. Everything here is new. All the furniture, all the equipment, the cages, everything. It's outside in a shed."

"Except the ghosts." I muttered and she nodded, lips tightening.

"This was where you were bitten, so it might be harder for you." Daniella glanced out the window down at the factory floor. We could see the beds from up here, the two strange mutts asleep, Savannah and Adam reading nearby. "I was only here for a few days."

"This was were you were bitten?" Antonio asked, sitting up, tugging his shirt off when Vi tried. "Let me while I still can."

"This was the place." I replied, aware that my arms and legs were shaking now, throat swelling with an emotion I didn't want to feel.

Antonio's rough hand slid into mine. He squeezed it and pulled me back to sit on the bed beside him, so that he could wrap one arm around me. He didn't seem to know what to say but the gesture did help.

"I was never up here." I tried to smile, turning back to him, turning my back on the factory. "If I ignore that window then I can pretend I'm not here."

"There is a curtain." Vi replied, tugging it across, so that we hid the factory. The storage room and manager's office had wooden floorboards, painted walls, new furniture. Daniella said that everything here was new. It did almost make it easier to ignore outside this room.

"Call Nick if it gets hard." Antonio muttered. He lay back, rubbing his head, gladly accepting a towel so he could wipe the sweat off. "He won't let you down."

"I know." I smiled, or tried to, but it didn't fool the older man. "How are you feeling?"

Antonio shrugged and I took the towel. Vi had put a bowl beside us and I used it to wipe his face down, his eyes shutting as cool water eased his hot skin. "Thanks, sweetie. How much of your sickness do you remember?"

"Not much at all." I replied. "Just a few things at the start. Then a lot of bad dreams, felt like months, then back again."

"Sounds simple." He muttered.

I hoped it was going to be. My anxiety about how Antonio would take this, being older, was shared by Vi who had us all go outside to have a 'briefing' on how to handle his case. She didn't just tell us how to handle it, she handed out schedules for sleep and work, assigned jobs, and made it clear who was in charge here. No one seemed to mind. She was a qualified nurse and she knew what to do.

This was increased when another mutt showed up, sweating, stumbling, half expecting to be killed on the spot. Trust in the pack was not there, it was obvious, and he'd left it till the last second, almost crashing the car into the side of the building. He was not expecting three female werewolves, a witch and a half-demon to be there outside. He might not have known what Savannah and Adam were but us? One sniff, even while he was sick, and the look on his face would have been hilarious if he wasn't stumbling out of a car that'd skidded into the fence.

Adam hoisted him up and led him inside, directing him away from us, and we could hear him rattling off the ground rules without needing super hearing. They involved 'not touching the women'. Like a lap dance, apparently, we did our thing and they just watched. It was made clear what would be done if one tried. Werewolf justice didn't involve courts.

I headed inside, having 'first watch' till nine that morning, the darkness of the night just starting to get lighter and a fraction bluer, stars vanishing over us. Three mutts, David, Billy and Steven, two of them too sick now to notice or care if I'd entered the room. David, the one that'd just showed up, stared at me warily. Then to the cages, he could see the corner of one, and he glared at me. Apparently seeing an empty cage was enough to make him unhappy about this arrangement.

"You're the one that cut off that cock, aren't you?" He gazed at me, suspicious, shoulders tensing as Adam returned with a blanket.

"Did she?" Adam's eyes came onto me. He and I hadn't spoken, ever, and this was his introduction to me? He just seemed amused.

"Yes." I replied, crossed my arms, and lowered my eyes to the bed. He lowered himself down onto it reluctantly. "We're trying to keep it quiet from humans."

"So if I leave-"

"Before you're over it, if you leave, we'll kill you." I wasn't sure if that was the orders but for now it worked. I tried to ignore the room itself, the shadows of cages that once sat there, keeping my eyes in the man's face. "If you stay, you might live."

"Good girl. Nurse me to health." He spat, cringing as Adam pushed him down a bit too hard, his head hitting the back of the metal rail.

I ignored that barb and offered him clothing, dodgy pants and a top, so that he didn't ruin the ones he had on. "You either wear it or you go home in it."

He got up, changing, and I refused to turn around or give way. Even sick, David was still trying to push buttons and see how far he could get with me, even with the reputation that clearly disturbed him. Trusting us, putting himself in this building, it went against every instinct he had.

I wondered what message Elena had spread for him to force himself to be here. I'd ask later. Maybe she'd used Tyler Lake's illness somehow. I didn't know what it did to someone if they weren't under careful treatment.

It was Vi who was with Antonio at first, she moved past us to head upstairs, and when I looked up I only saw a mirror. A one way window then? I wondered who'd watched us from up there. The cages had covers and I'd never seen anything higher than them.

My first shift was uneventful. There was something off-putting and that went extremely against my nature to 'nurse' on these men, even if I didn't have the same grudge against mutts some of the pack did, I didn't want to go near them, led alone sponge their foreheads down. There were dividers that hid each mutt from the other, not that it really mattered, but that just added to the claustrophobia that came with it.

When one of them touched me, even if he was unconscious, I almost clawed his eyes out. I didn't know why. It just bothered me to be touched by him, even a hand grabbing my wrist that I easily got off. By the time nine came I needed to get outside of that room, away from the ghost of those cages and dead girls, away from the mutts, relieved to see Daniella take over. Vi had me wait, just fifteen minutes more, as she decided to move the first two mutts into their cages now. We knew that at some point the fevers would increase to the point that they'd start to change sporadically and would wander around- the cages would keep them contained and safe.

I took out my phone as I headed out into the hot sunshine and sighed as I flopped onto the hot ground. Nick had been calling the entire time and I called him, flopping onto the dusty ground outside, watching clouds chase each other across the sky.

"-ven't you called me back?" He demanded the second he picked up. I guessed that the first part had probably been 'Why'.

"Vi has us on shifts now. I was on nurse duty." I explained as I heard him thunk down onto something. The porch maybe. "Everyone okay?"

"Everyone's good. Woke up to find Dad gone, a note on the table, apparently he didn't tell anyone except work. He wants me to handle the business with one of his colleges."

"That's good, isn't it?" I asked, as he seemed put off. Even unhappy sounding. "He's trusting you."

"If he wasn't sick, yeah, but he's... how is he?" He was trying to smile, I heard it in his voice. "I wish he'd have told me."

"I'm not sure. I was looking after the mutts down here. He was talking though, getting me to tell him what to expect, preparing himself." I sighed, leaning back in the dirt, shutting my eyes. The sound of Nick's voice was easing away the stress from inside. "I'm sure he wanted to tell you."

"Sounds like him. Dominic is back to normal, Logan is coming back too, Clayton's passed out over here in the living room. I think he's keeping an eye on me."

"Good sign if he's gone to sleep at Stonehaven."

"Exactly. How you doing?"

"They made the hospital in the warehouse I was bitten in." I muttered, slightly bitter now, wishing someone had warned me. "The cages are different but ..."

Nick didn't reply for a while. I heard him get up, a door creak near the phone, and Jeremy's voice.

"You sent her to live in that damned place they hurt her?"

"Nick, leave it." I muttered, tired, shutting my eyes. Jeremy wasn't even the alpha now but old habits died hard for Nick. Or maybe he went for the first higher ranking person he set his eyes on? "Just tell me how everyone is."

"No one's sick." That was Jeremy, not Nick. "How are you handling it?"

"Being in this place?"

"Yes."

"It's like there's ghosts everywhere. I don't know. I can handle it." I tried to smile and make my voice sound 'happy' or something. It was a pathetic attempt and I kicked at a dry weed as I waited for him to answer.

"If there's a point you can't, tell me, and we'll bring you back." Jeremy said, after a while, quieter. "Elena won't mind."

"She and Clayton have to stay there though, don't they?"

"The alpha can't just leave and if they do, it has to be into a situation they're fairly safe in. Nursing three mutts isn't going to work." He paused, softer. "It's possible we'll come closer if there's too many mutts for you to handle. How many are there?"

He probably knew this already but I was glad that he was onto logistics and off emotions. "Three now. I'm just about ready to claw their eyes out already." I muttered. I heard him laugh softly.

"Like I said. If you have to come back, tell me, and we'll bring you home. Nick, _okay_. Here."

I heard Nick's voice come back. "Okay? You can come back. Day or night. What's the address of the place?"

"I heard. It's okay. I'm here as long as Antonio is. Dominic's really okay? How about the girls? Matt?" I got up and headed inside. "I'll get the address for you."

Nick reassured me, telling me what each was doing at that exact time, Matt already at school again. Logan was staying home, Kate was at school with Matt, they were trying to keep them going in a normal routine. Amar was back onto studying the disease with the assistance from the Cabal. Nick was still as baffled as I was as to why they were so interested. Lucas couldn't, or maybe didn't know enough, to explain it apparently. I gave him the address, not entirely sure why he wanted it, and we sat there teasing each other till Nick suddenly cut off. I suspected his cell phone battery died if he'd been sitting there calling for hours.

I headed upstairs afterwords, eyes diverted from the factory floor or the smaller warehouses where we'd been held, straight for the manager's office and storage room up the stairs. Antonio, when I looked in, was asleep. Vi was setting up the room, setting down big plastic containers of water, as this place only had showers downstairs. We didn't want to be caught off guard if he need a bath and that might have happened more often than we liked. There was a chest freezer in the corner of the manager's office now.

He opened his eyes as I sat down on a chair beside the bed and smiled a tired smile. 

"Call Nick? How's the babies?"

"All good now." I reassured him. Vi handed me the ear thing and I checked his temperature. It was rising still. "Everyone's okay. A bit shocked by your exit but okay."

"Good." He breathed out slowly, eyes shutting, going back to sleep. His shallow breathing slowed again.

"He will be unconscious by night, I think." Vi said softly. She brushed the hair out of her face. "If not faster. I had to send Savannah to get ice and some other things."

"When do I sleep?" I checked the schedule. Apparently right now was 'food time'. This didn't work well when we didn't have a kitchen though. I wished we could have just stayed at home with him. "How do I cook something to eat?"

"She gets camping stove too."

That was not going to be fun. Cooking werewolf sized meals on a camping stove.

We heard a shout from downstairs, something slam, and hurried to the window. The mutt that was still concious had pinned Daniella against the cage bars, but before we could help, he flew off her and against his bed. Savannah stood nearby, face stony, breathing hard as if she'd come running. Daniella tied him up, ignoring his threats, and put him into one of the cages. She looked as if she was tempted to rip out his throat then and there. He got out of the ropes easily enough, she hadn't tied it to keep him that way, but the door was locked now.

"There might be some problems with having only women werewolves here." I muttered.

"I agree." Vi crossed her arms. Daniella was holding at her shirt and heading for the staircase, face red with fury, while Savannah watched. at least that was what we'd guessed, because Savannah now had him on the bed and Daniella burst into the office with a growl, throwing the torn shirt aside and grabbing for her bag.

"Sick son of a bitch. I vote we keep them tied up in those things." Her eyes went past us to the doorway into the storage room. I turned and saw Antonio leaning against the door frame, eyes on the ground floor, a dark look on his face as he stared down there. He probably still had his hearing and had heard the whole thing.

"Antonio, are you-"

"Lucid? Yes." He replied, soft, breathing shallow still, sweat pouring off him. "Enough to take care of _that_."

"No, you go lie down. _We_ take care of that." Vi steered him back into the bed. "You rest. You can help when you are not sick."

When he refused to budge I went to help her tug him back into the room. Antonio sighed, a shudder of a sigh, as my hand touched his arm and he let me lead him back.

"If they touch any of you, call Clayton."

"If they touch me or anyone else, they'll beg for Clayton." I tried to reassure him. "Let's check your out."

"Have you called Nick?" He let me check the temperature, sitting up, but his eyes were still on the window in the office.

"Yes." I blinked at him. "I told you about that."

Antonio blinked, confusion clouding his head, and he shut his eyes a moment. "You did. Sorry. I don't know how I forgot that. I should call him. Have you got a phone I can use?"

"You are sick." Vi sighed as she took the reading off me. "Drink this. As much as you can."

He drank the large glass of water obediently and cringed. I saw his throat convulse, as if he was fighting the urge to throw it back up, but he stopped it and gave the cup back to Vi.

Daniella called something about going back downstairs.

After that excitement, things calmed down a little. The new mutt was sedated with his lunch, after his attack on Daniella, the other two mutts and Antonio's confusion increased until he couldn't remember things for longer than ten minutes. He got a call with Nick though, which calmed him down a little.

By night he wasn't aware of much at all and Vi got tense, aggressive even, with her orders. I sat with him, waiting, but there wasn't much we could do. It was as bad as watching Dominic get sick. We all knew it was going to happen, we knew it could be bad, but no one could say how bad or for how long.

With the mutts sedated and Antonio asleep most of the time things got quiet that night. I crawled into the bed in the manager's office, Vi in with Antonio and the door shut, Daniella downstairs for another shift. Adam and Savannah were sleeping down there- they had no issues with the ground floor like us and apparently liked the idea of privacy. This left me alone.

I tried to sleep, facing the wall, curled up on the blow up mat and trying to relax. The office was hot- it was up high- and the little air conditioning unit in the storage room had been cut off by the shut door. Sleep came for only five minutes before I woke up panting, heart racing, chest in pain, in the middle of a full on panic attack. It wasn't the normal level of anxiety either. I felt my skin itch, threaten to change right there, felt the urge to run. Run from this place as fast as I could. It felt like I was in the cage again, down there, that the hostile guards were around... or their ghosts, anyway, crowding around my back. I couldn't even turn from the wall, I stared at it, eyes wide, sweating. Logically there was nothing behind me, I knew that, but …

"Nick?" The phone was in my hand and against my ear. I'd called him without thinking and the second it stopped ringing and I heard breathing, sleepy slow breathing, I realised I'd done it. "You awake?"

"Uh huh. I am now. Hi." He yawned against the phone. I pictured him there, curled up under the sheets naked, that sleepy look in his eyes. "Panic attack?"

"How'd you know?"

"You're panting." He replied, I heard him shift up, the click of something. A lamp maybe. "What can I do? Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Just talk to me." I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to think about it. "Read something. I don't care what. Just let me hear you talk." I breathed hard, squeezing my eyes, hands clenching as I tried to not change.

"What are you wearing?"

I laughed, even with the panic, a small smile cracking through. "Not telling you."

"Come on, what are you wearing? I'm wearing nothing."

"Big surprise. Just ...read something to me, okay?"

He read Harry Potter, to my amusement, and that relaxed me. I'd been trying to get him to read the books for months. I shut my eyes as I listened, my breathing slowing, hearing his breathing slow too.

At some point I fell asleep and when I woke, it was morning, the phone still in my hand, battery dead. I wasn't sure when he'd stopped reading or when I'd fallen asleep. Just that I'd fallen asleep with the sound of his voice in my head, cutting through the nightmares that chased me into the factory, and there was someone behind me eating breakfast from the sounds of things, the gentle hiss of gas coming from the camping stove.

"Hi." Savannah said as I turned around, flipping eggs on the larger-than-expected stove. "Hungry?"

"Yeah. That's a big camping stove."

"I know how werewolves eat. Here." She handed me a plate of pancakes and fried eggs, an odd mix, but I wasn't going to complain. "You get first shift downstairs."

"Exciting. Thanks."

I checked in on Antonio before I started for the day, his breathing shallow and fast, Vi asleep nearby, looking like she'd been up all night. The room was cool in there, door just open a fraction, music playing.

Downstairs it was less peaceful and the day was crazy. I didn't have time to see or think about the ghosts, even if 'my corner' weighed heavily in the corner of my eye all day, the three mutts in and out of various states of fever. I felt less like clawing their eyes out now, now that David or whatever his name had been, was asleep. They were just sick men who were helpless and vulnerable, and however idiotic they were sometimes, they had put their trust in us .

Over the next week, six more mutts showed up. Three left the second they saw the cages, the other three too sick to give a damn, and two of those three returned just hours later. The other one was hunted down in a hospital and taken away by the Cabal, according to Lucas who called us up, and again I wasn't sure why they were so involved in all of this. He didn't seem to understand it either. He and Paige were with Ana in New York now, so she could keep up with school, and were investigating it from there. Nick was supposed to be there too, apparently.

That was the other odd thing. Nick kept calling me, but Clayton called me and asked me if I knew where Nick was. He seemed to be keeping up with his work but he wasn't in New York. He wasn't at Stonehaven either. Whenever I asked Nick about where he was, he'd distract me somehow. Then, just as Clayton was going to be ordered to hunt him down, he'd show up at the house. Like he hadn't been missing.

Antonio, surprisingly, was not so bad. He was bad, sure, but he was coping with the fever. Vi was keeping the room cool, we'd take turns sleeping in the room with him, get him to drink, help him to the bathroom, and while he didn't really show any awareness beyond a few minutes, he seemed to cope. Maybe it was because of how physically fit he was or that he'd prepared himself. I didn't know. The few times he did get so hot that we needed to get him undressed and wipe him down with cold clothes, he didn't struggle, and we didn't need to restrain him. The others though, all eight of them, were driving me nuts.

After a week of this, he took a turn for the worse, and I was the one who was on with Vi for him. Daughter in law, maybe it made sense to everyone, or maybe they saw how close I was getting to smacking the mutts. Even Daniella had more patience than I did, though not by much, and standing on the ground floor was enough to make me irritable and upset.

I sat with him, the restraints loose around his ankles and wrists now, stroking his shoulders and forehead gently as he slept a restless sleep, tossing and turning, his eyes moving frantically under the lids, the sweat pouring off him even in the cool room. He'd started to talk now, mostly jibberish, but sometimes he said Lily or Lillian. Nick's mother. Whatever dreams or nightmares he was having, she featured in them quite a lot, and it showed just how little he'd gotten over her.

Friday, nine days after we'd arrived, and another problem arose. It wasn't with the mutts. Adam had gone to sleep in the office while watching the TV and when Savannah went to wake him, he wouldn't wake.

I went out with her to see him slumped there, breathing fast, his skin shiny with sweat. This wasn't unusual in the office- it was warmer than everywhere else- but he seemed too hot. He was some kind of half-demon that had fire, so she hadn't been alarmed when he'd been warm, but now she was.

It was just minutes after we found him sick that another person turned up at the warehouse. Not a werewolf but a woman, by the name of Cassandra, someone that both Adam and Savannah knew. She was dragging a good looking man beside her, also covered in sweat.

It was then we found out that this disease, whatever it was, had spread. Not just to werewolves but to others.

Vi got Adam downstairs, worried about his control over fire while he was sick, and checked on both him and the male vampire- Aaron- while I called Elena.

"You're sure?"

"That they're sick? Yes. That it's the same thing? No clue." I watched her with the two men through the window in the office.

"Lucas and Paige will bring Ana over. It's her break in a few days, I'm sure she'll be able to get a few days extra. How's Antonio?"

I'd called her that morning and given the report but I repeated it. "Restrained a little, muttering, having nightmares. Very hot. We've got him comfortable and Vi is keeping in contact with Amar."

"So no different?"

"Not really. Is Nick around or is he still doing his vanishing act?"

"Vanishing. He's not sick, we think, Clayton's trying to figure out where he goes." Her voice had gone dry. "When you call him, remind him that we've got bigger problems."

"Is anyone sick there?"

"Like this morning, no. We've got some updates on the disease though. I wanted to call you soon and let you know, there'll be a meeting tonight. On skype." She sounded somewhat amused by that.

"Skype? What time?" I wrote it down as she read out the details. "Okay, nine it is. Why?"

"Urgent. Breakthrough with the disease. Ana will be there-" She paused. I heard voices in the background, could only assume that was Jeremy on another phone, "-just before the meeting. Let us know if it's the same illness."

"Shit." I swore, without thinking, as I saw the female vampire go down.

"What?"

"The woman, Cassandra, I think she just collapsed. Dropping like flies."

"How many are sick there?"

I counted them. "Um, eight mutts, Adam, and the two vampires. Eleven."

"You're going to need more help soon." Elena's voice went quiet and she sighed. "Paige and Lucas will be there tonight. We'll send Amar too, if it's all right, though the Cabal have adopted him in town for the research..." She sighed. "Okay. I'll see what I can send you."

We said our goodbyes and I went downstairs, after quickly checking that Antonio was comfortable, taking the baby monitor with me. Cassandera insisted that she and Aaron have their beds in the same cage and, while we knew this was impossible with two delusional werewolves, we hoped this wouldn't be a problem with two vampires. It may not have even been the same illness.

This hope vanished when Ana, Paige and Lucas appeared with bags of takeaway for dinner and the confirmation that yes, Adam, Aaron and Cassandra did have the illness. The exact same illness. Cassandra informed me, when I asked, that yes. She did drink blood. This made the 'avoid blood and mosquitoes' thing a problem. I wondered how many others we'd be getting... Cassandra was already making calls about it- informing others to be careful. They'd take care of their own, she assured me, even if it wasn't the same sickness. But the council members had decided to gather here and she was one of them.

Council members? I had to admit, I had no clue who the council members were, besides Elena and Jeremy. Apparently Adam was, Paige was, and now Aaron and Cassandra? We really _did_ need help then. I wondered who'd decided this. Vi seemed as bemused as I was about that.

We brought the laptop upstairs. Ana, Paige and Lucas had decided to stay here, though I wasn't sure where, having brought some mattresses with them. We sat around as we waited for skype to connect and ate the chinese food.

It was a video conference of Amar with another doctor-type-person and we weren't the only ones watching and listening in. There were a number of people. More than I'd expected. Amar explained this by giving us the next big shocker- it wasn't the werewolves who got sick first. It was the sorcerers.

Even Lucas seemed surprised by this. He sat up slowly, eyes narrowing, Paige's hand coming to rest on his arm.

After the sorcerers, there'd been increased interest in finding several sorcerers at large, including the ex-alpha's father. Then when he'd been sighted and we'd gotten sick...

The other man took over then, a sorcerer according to Paige, taking us off that topic quickly. Instead he described how it worked. Most of it was scientific mumbo jumbo, at least to me, but then I'd always been terrible at science at school. Something about how the mutated version was the first one, the original one, which could affect almost every species. Except, to my shock, my daughters. Elena's daughter.

They were the only ones completely immune. Kate specifically was of interest. Elena hadn't mentioned that. Did she know? I wasn't sure that she had. Lily and Susie were too young, their immune systems forming, Kate being older meant she was of greater interest.

Elena rang me the second they'd said that and I backed up, lifting the phone. Clayton was in the background as soon as I picked up, arguing with someone, really going for it.

"I know, Clay, give me a- Anne, are you watching?"

"I am. Did you know?"

"I let them take blood samples of all of us. Including the kids. I didn't know about _this. _Clay, I know."

On the laptop they were still discussing the implications of Kate and the toddlers. Other scientific mumbo jumbo. Tests. Tests? Oh hell no. Something about a potiental cure. Treatment.

"They didn't discuss this with you?"

"They did say that they wanted additional samples from the girls but I said I'd talk with you first." She growled softly, shoving someone away, and I heard Clayton's frustrated growl before he stalked upstairs. "Clay's probably going to be in their room all night guarding them now." A long drawn out sigh. "This would have been better if they'd told us first."

"Tell him to put the toddlers in with them. Matt too."

"He's already working on it, from the sounds of things." Elena replied.

We went quiet as we heard him explain the other part. The older a person was, the worse it was.

"Think of it this way. In a child chicken pox is harmless nearly every time. In an adult chicken pox could be deadly. This disease is similar. The older a person is, the worse it affects them, and if a werewolf has started their changes, will experience a fever that is deadly. The three werewolf children had manageable fevers that were of no threat to them." That was the other man, the one I didn't know.

"Try watching your toddler have a seizure and then see how non-threatening it is." I growled softly.

"If they come for more samples-"

"Imagine they're your daughters and then answer them." I replied. Elena was, more or less, their aunt. I trusted her.

"Would you let them take a small amount?"

"_Small_. If they try to take too much, Clayton has my permission to use that look of his on them. In fact, I'll hire him, he can stand over them while blood's taken." I heard her laugh softly. I added, quickly. "I'm sorry I've lumped them onto you like this."

"You have to work there and we need you to be there. Don't worry. They've got endless attention here."

We went quiet again. They seemed to be wrapping up, giving out advice on staying safe, and it suddenly occurred to me.

"Is this for everyone?"

"Every species." Elena replied, quieter than before.

"So everyone knows about-"

"That's why Clayton's so angry."

I swore and resisted the urge to storm back home right then and there, stand in front of them, and ...well, at least it was waking up some instincts in me.

"You can trust him."

"I _do_ trust him." I did. He was a bit ...well, mad... sometimes. Inhuman. But I knew that part wouldn't let anyone in the pack down, particularly the 'puppies'. They were safe with him around. "Any luck with help?"

"Not yet. Have you spoken to Nick today?"

"No, he didn't answer his phone." That had made me anxious, sort of, but it had been early when I'd tried to call him and the day had gone crazy after that.

"He hasn't answered our calls either."

Fear washed over me, sudden, violent almost, and Elena's voice cut through it fast, "However he's all right."

"How do you know?"

"Did you feel any concern today for him?"

I hadn't. I breathed a bit slower at that. Nick got into less bad situations than I did, somehow, but I tended to know when he'd come home upset. I hadn't been worried about him in the slightest today. "No. Nothing."

"Then he's fine. I just had to make sure. Clay was going to track him down but he may be a little distracted now." Elena sounded almost apologetics.

"It's okay." My head jerked up as I heard struggling from the storage room. Everyone else had gone now, now that the conference was gone, and I knew it'd be Antonio. "I better check on Antonio. Thanks for calling so fast."

Antonio was trying to get up, struggling, growling, his skin ripping. After so many days it wasn't surprising, he hadn't changed since he'd come here, but I was quick to tug his clothing out of the way, undo the restraints, and shut the door on him as he got into the change. While he was a wolf there was nothing we could do except wait. We'd put a little window into the door, a one way window, so we could check, but other than that it was just waiting.

Vi hurried up the stairs as I taped a little 'wolf' sign to the door. "He is changed?"

"Doing it now."

She didn't look in, neither did I, the two of us knowing that it was few who wanted to be seen at this stage. "It is about time."

We bolted the door shut, sat down, and watched the ground floor.

Ana came upstairs from the little TV and bed area, reaching out for my arm and hesitating, touching it briefly, looking exhausted. I made her sit down and tell me about school, not just 'fine', but all of it. She'd made friends, was in the soccer team, and the home room teacher was looking out for her. Apparently she'd been teased for being black and for not being American, in the way girls usually did it, but she had friends that stood up for her. I hadn't even thought about her being 'black'. The most I thought about her species- that she smelt like a cat. Skin color hadn't even come into it until she was changed.

When I told her this, she relaxed, smiling, admitting it was the same thing. Maybe we saw the world in a different way. I didn't know. I followed my nose and my nose didn't detect anything different in skin color. It did, much to my amusement, used to detect different ethnicities based on their diets. Some people from Asian cultures smelt more spicy, and I could tell they lived there, ate that diet, or had visited there recently.

I didn't smell it anymore though.

Antonio spent a few hours as a wolf. He lay on his side, protected under the bed, in front of the air conditioning unit, panting. We slipped water and food in there but he didn't even bother to lift his head, a sharp inhale, then a relaxed whine as he smelt me. I probably could have sat in there with him but we weren't ever sure. He may have been fine with a quick slide of water, right now, but with the fever screwing with his head, a relaxed wolf could have turned into something else too fast for us to predict. He ate too, drank the water, ate the food, and curled back up in front of the cool heater.

When he changed back Vi and I dressed him again in the loose pants, all shame irrelevant right now, as he leaned on us, eyes shut, almost out of it again.

I was alone again that night and called Nick. This time he answered, the sound of rain where he was, as if he was in a car. A car? I wasn't sure what that meant, but he reassured me he was on his way back to Stonehaven and had pulled over.

"So, what are you wearing?"

I snorted and told him what'd happened in the skype thing earlier. He was quicker to dismiss it than I had been, relaxing the second I told him Clayton had heard it, and didn't seem too concerned when I psuhed it.

"Clay won't let them go near the babies. If anything sets him off like a threat to Elena, it's a threat to helpless puppies, so relax. So what are you wearing?"

"Tshirt and jeans."

"To bed? Shesh. Are you alone?"

I glanced around and nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. I'm unbuttoning your jeans..."

"No, you're not." I rolled my eyes. He'd lowered his voice, gone husky, and I heard him snort.

"Yeah, I am, if you just imagine it. I'm now slipping a hand in..."

"Nothing's there." I slid my hand down. "I can't feel anything except my hand."

"Oh? Where's your hand going?"

"To scratch my belly."

We went on like this for a while, teasing each other, though I had to admit I missed him. Maybe if we'd had a more private place I might have tried it seriously. Eventually he picked up Harry Potter and continued with that, with less of a complaint than last time, until I fell asleep.


	8. Coping

Work, as we called it now, continued and took up as much energy as the triplets. Amar called the day after the skype thing, apologising for not being able to tell me, and had to leave pretty fast. Apparently he wasn't really allowed to speak of it to anyone now, not even to his own daughter, and even Elena was being kept out of the loop.

I tried to help on the ground floor by cleaning, helping keep them calm, but it seemed to be a task with no end. The first two mutts were shoved out the door the moment they were awake, only to return and offer help, not sure what else to do with themselves. We hadn't anticipated this. Now, without their usual 'werewolf superpowers', they suddenly had no clue what to do with themselves, having relied on it to keep safe and keep alive. It was almost like they needed a re-education. Mutts moved around, stole, murdered here and there, and usually the pack kept out of it as long as they weren't causing a problem or standing out too much. But we needed the help and they seemed to need a secure place. My association with the factory, of torture, pain, fucked up werewolves who had delusional ideas about power... and theirs, a place of safety, security, healing... it was such an odd contrast.

We contacted Elena about it. She informed them, via a speaker phone, that they would only be welcome to remain as long as we were there and that overnight they'd be locked out. They'd have to sleep in tents outside, remain till sun up, and be responsible for their own changes at night. If they killed a human while sleeping here, if they killed anyone on the property, if they caused problems, they would be dealt with and she made it clear she didn't mean a fine. They agreed, looking relieved, almost looking _grateful_. I suppose I understood in some way. Their entire world that they'd known had been turned upside down, they were suddenly 'human' most of the time, and for the first time the pack was offering help. Very limited help, but help. And we did need the extra help.

Paige and Lucas had to leave again after that, though, taking Ana back to New York.

Clay kept me updated, more or less, on what was going on with the triplets and Kate. Elena entrusted him to handling it, which showed how she felt about it, because Clay and delicate situations... not his strength. He was all for intimidation and hostility. As far as I was concerned this was perfect when it came to people trying to touch my girls or Kate.

Savannah barely left the ground floor now. Adam, clearly her lover, was sick. Beyond sick. The trouble was, we had no idea how to treat someone who was so in tune with flames, we weren't sure. She was using her own magic to keep him cool but no one was sure how cool to keep him. And when he got delusional, started to move around, he wasn't calm like Antonio. He was dangerous. We had to move him down into the dreaded basement, where the old scientific lab had been, just to make sure that he didn't harm anyone.

Antonio was worse too now, much worse, and I sat with him day and night, sleeping beside him, his breathing much too fast, skin much too pale, Vi having to rely now on more than just air conditioning to keep him from going too far. She got medication from Amar, some kind of medicine that helped, and was on the phone to him day or night when Antonio crossed a line that I didn't see. To me, he looked bad all the time, and even when he was delusional, even when he tried to get up or change, he just couldn't do it.

Nick was on the phone to me twice a day then, half the time getting me to put the phone to Antonio's ear, trying to calm him down as we held him down. While he had his bad moments, often one of the mutts downstairs had one at a similar time had problems. Four of us and all of them.

In some ways this was a good thing. We had the 'bitch in heat' scent and the mutts loved that. Cassandra and Aaron didn't respond to that, they didn't respond to anything, their own version of the fever bizarre compared to the werewolves and Adam. They just lay there like corpses. Beautiful corpses. They didn't drink, they didn't eat, and they didn't notice us.

Adam's reaction, by comparasion, was frightening. He went from calm guy to crazy pyromaniac half-demon as the fever got worse and worse. Savannah almost always could calm him down but when he set the factory on fire, we set up a hose nearby and got some fire extinguishers.

When we started to get irritable and argue, hunger getting too strong, we suddenly remembered why. We had to change. While Savannah kept watch, the three of us had to go out and change. We'd delayed it too long and even without the usual sense of 'needing to change', I knew that we'd change if we didn't do something. Food wasn't covering the problem anymore. Unfortunately, the wolf side of us didn't know that we were needed, it just knew that we'd neglected that side of ourselves too long.

The place we chose was far out in the desert, the stars overhead, the classic desert scene. Cacti here and there, dead bushes, sand and dirt- very beautiful. Very alien. The three of us split up to change, leaving the clothing in the car to protect it from scorpions or snakes or whatever else was out here. This was more Vi's concern than ours- Daniella and myself were less wary of those things. Maybe it was because we'd grown up in Australia. Full of scary snakes and spiders and things.

I made my way into the sand, ignoring the rocks that caught my bare foot, and knelt down. The surface was freezing but when my knees sunk down a few inches the ground under there was still warm.

The change wasn't fun again. The usual, scream inducing, gut wrenching, 'I need to vomit', pain, head slamming thing, something I didn't recall reading or seeing in anything that came with werewolves.

All worth it though when I could lift my head and the smell of the world slammed into my lungs, a reunion with reality, the sound of everything around me returning full force. I whined softly, shut my eyes, and rolled around on the sand as I smelt it. Smelt it properly. The scents, the smell of the cacti nearby, the wind carrying smells of others from distances. Vi and Daniella.

We played and rolled around together, the three of us enjoying the freedom and relief of being this way, some part of me not wanting to change back. Some part of me could have stayed like this for hours. Days. Play, hunt, sleep, love my pack. What else did anyone need? We hunted, though it didn't work as well out here, but we did find some things. Mice. Tiny rabbits. Then after, when we'd called Savannah and made sure everything was calm there, we headed into the town and got takeaway.

This was amusing to us, sitting there in the middle of a smaller country down, two Australians and a Russian. People assumed we were backpackers and hit on us. Daniella was hostile, cut them off, but Vi and I were amused enough to be nice. I had to admit, the accents were nice, because like Australia the further in the country we got, the stronger the accents. Nick had that more general accent that I was used to from American TV. In other words, it didn't sound as 'accenty' as it probably should have. Out here... they had _accents_.

Once we filled up with groceries, we headed back, only to find Savannah struggling with another fire with her magic.

A week of this, of Savannah constantly needing to be with Adam as his fever burnt, both inside him and outside, his nightmares or whatever he was dreaming keeping him and us awake most of the time, and we were all exhausted. The more he was like this, the more we thought of the basement we'd ignored all this time, the basement and those giant walk in freezers. The ones that they'd kept the corpses in. Savannah had spotted them once while exploring and while we'd told her why we avoided the basement... now that she'd brought them up, we thought more and more seriously about it.

Compared to the vampires Adam was a nightmare but at least his needs were sort of obvious. They still just slept on through the fever so peacefully that we had to set alarms to check their temperatures. How did you know what a vampire's normal one was anyway? Weren't they dead? We struggled to know what to do for them. We got them blood, donating it ourselves, but they ignored the offer. Maybe they liked it fresh. That was a problem too. Antonio continued to be consistent, at least, high fevers, vomiting, nightmares about Lily, and we fell into a routine with him. I didn't tell them who Lily was but I probably didn't need to. Eveyr time he called her name, he seemed heart broken, pleading for her to forgive him, over and over and over... I knew that he hadn't wanted to leave her, if he kept following her, but I didn't keep it from Nick either. He knew what his father was dreaming about.

In some ways it was a comfort to him, as strange as that sounded, to know that. And sometimes it made him angry and he hung up on me. It was hard to know what Nick was, now, half the time he was working, never at home, sometimes up to his eyeballs in toddlers, but a lot of the time in a car somewhere. But he never failed to pick up when it was time to go to sleep. He didn't admit it but I suspected he was starting to enjoy Harry Potter and our 'bedtime' session, which involved wand jokes and other things half the time, now that Harry had a wand. Apparently Nick had a very good wand.

Adam woke us up again, one night, screaming his head off. The heat, when I came downstairs, was more than usual, the entire factory floor hot enough to create an instant sweat. Savannah was sweating in the cage, hands on his arms, as he thrashed, Daniella heading for the hose as the first flame caught onto one of the sheets lying spare nearby.

"We can't do this. We have to keep Adam somewhere colder." Savannah hissed, sweat dripping into her eyes as she tried to hold him down and keep him cold with the spell at the same time. She was a powerful witch, I knew that from what I'd seen of her, but even this was pushing her. She was exhausted and the worry about him had kept her awake even when he was calm.

Just as she'd that, he really screamed, flames licking up Savannah's arms with the suddenness, and she screamed. I grabbed the woollen blanket and grabbed her, wrapping it around her, Vi fast to get the back of her. We smothered the flames as she tried to put them out with her spell, the smell of burning hair and skin strong, till the flames were gone.

"Out. Get out. Leave him to rage." Vi ordered, pulling Savannah back, as Adam thrashed and struggled with the restraints, the whites of his eyes showing, flames licking up and down his arms. Suddenly I was glad he wasn't on a bed and we had tied him to the concrete ground- a metal frame, what if it burnt him? "Let me see."

We tugged the blanket off, Savanah's eyes wide with pain as she stared down, her top singed and blisters up and down her arms and up one half of her neck. She was breathing hard, cringed as Vi moved an arm, biting a lip.

"It's nothing."

"It is _not_ nothing. I am very sorry but ..." Vi started to press the skin, ignoring Savannah's soft cries of pain, and even I cringed as she kept doing it on both arms, on Savannah's stomach, pressing into the blistered burnt skin over and over, right up her neck. By the time she'd done tears were leaking out of Savannah's eyes with the agony of the touches. "All have feeling. Good. I'm sorry, I had to make, Dani-"

She glanced to where Daniella was standing with the hose. "Put that down. Get cloths, soft ones, torn sheets, and a bucket of cool water. Not cold but cool." Daniella nodded and hurried off.

"I should stay." Savannah was already shaking though, her skin pale, and Vi cursed. A tongue of flame shot out, right across us, as the half-demon struggled hard against the bonds. She was breathing fast now. "He's-"

"He doesn't know anyone from a bar of soap right now."

"She is right, and you are going into shock. Dani, I will come, get the medical kit out." Vi swore as she glanced at Adam. There were too few of us for this job. Not only was Adam in this state, one of the mutts had started to panic as well. "Anne, I'm sorry. You will have to watch him on your own."

"Go, take care of Savannah." I rushed into the cage with the mutt, checking, finding his skin rippling. Great. Vi led Savannah off, as Adam roared again, flames bursting out of the cage. I yanked the mutt's clothing loose, undoing his restraints as he began his change, probably set off by the threat. Once he was freed and able to change, and I had the door shut, I checked the other mutts, finding them more or less tempted to do the same thing. It was a natural reaction to a threat when we were weak. As wolves, we could run or defend ourselves better, and I ended up loosening all of their clothing and loosing the restraints just in case.

The smell of burning had me turn and I saw flames licking up a wooden beam. Shit. The fire extinguisher was sitting waiting, as was the hose, and I used the fire one first as the flames got higher, smoke filling the top of the factory. Shit, shit, shit...

It was too high for this thing.

I grabbed the hose and turned it on the flames. If the patients got wet then tough. We'd deal with it later. The water seemed to get the flames under control, knocking them down again, the water falling onto Adam as he thrashed and screamed, the water dousing the flames he was setting off all over his cell. It wasn't really calming him down but it did put the flames out around him, all those fires he'd set, as well ast he one climbing up the factory.

Finally it was out and I breathed out, slow, dropping the hose. Savannah was right. We needed to find a better place for Adam while he was like this. He was calming down too, the water must have lowered his fever enough, but I stayed out of the cage- the bars were red hot.

I checked on the mutts and the vampires. No one seemed bothered by the water, the vampires oblivious to it as they slept, several of the mutts already changed and watching me warily from under their beds, baring their teeth as I walked past. There was some advantages though to the 'mutt in heat' smell- they all seemed confused, even reluctant to threaten me, more interested in something else from me. While the mutts were sick they were more wolf than human. My smell was the ultimate bed side manner. As I checked them, I constantly checked Adam's cage, worried that the hot metal would set off another fire.

I got Aaron and Cassandra changed out of the wet clothing after I changed the wet sheets, got the wet sheets off the bed, lifting them onto the same bed as I worked fast, and sighed with relief. Adam had gone quiet now and was asleep.

I went into the cage, slowly, finding the metal still hot, but no new fires had started. Adam didn't react to me, not even when I touched him, his skin hot and dry already. He was cooler than before though. I sat down on the metal chair, the metal hot under my bum, and started to gently stroke his face and neck with a damp cloth. When he'd gotten to a safer temperature only then did I get up to check Savannah.

She was in the little room she shared with Adam and not in a good way, and not just because of the burns, she was upset. Exhausted. She'd kept a constant watch over Adam for days now, barely slept, exhausted herself trying to care for him, and now she had nasty burns all over her arms and up her neck to deal with, as well as one on her stomach. Vi had her sitting there in a blanket as Vi wrapped damp clothes around the burns, speaking to her softly, Daniella helping. There was a syringe near her, probably a pain killer of some kind, I couldn't imagine the agony those burns would be causing right now.

"Is he okay?" Savannah asked the second she saw me and I nodded. She sighed with relief, slow, shoulders slumping. "Thank the fates."

"He got a hose down." When eyes went to me, I added, "He set the factory on fire again."

"We'll have to move him down into the basement." Vi muttered. We stiffened at that, both myself and Daniella. "It has walk in freezers."

"That they kept _bodies_ in." I reminded her.

"In the basement they did experiments in." Daniella added, quiet, her face drained of blood. She would not set a foot down there and I knew it was probably where they'd done the surgery on her. "If he goes down there, I don't go there."

"He can not set a freezer on fire." Vi shook her head. "I know we avoid the basement. I know why. But we can not risk the factory catching on fire again. If you cannot go down there then I won't force you."

We focused on Savannah then, going quiet, but I knew she was right. The basement was all concrete and it would be safe if he did have another episode like today's one. But it was one of two places I didn't go. The other was the security guard's rooms, just beyond this room, where I'd tricked the guard into thinking I'd … I still felt guilty about it.

The ring of the doorbell made us all jump. Door bell? Did we even have one?

"I'll go." I checked myself, finding nothing too bad, just damp clothing, and they nodded. I went to the door, opening it, and finding a man standing there.

"Is this-" He rattled off the address, and I nodded. "Are you Mrs. Sorrentino?" Another nod, a puzzled look at him, I wasn't sure what this was about. Some part of me was suspicious, tense, ready for an attack of some kind. "I have a delivery."

"Are you sure?" I blinked. He was gazing around, curious, then back to me. I could imagine how it looked. I was covered in water, sweating, probably looked like hell. Maybe had ash too. Who knew?

"If that's your address and you're Anne Sorrentino, then yes. Is there somewhere I can put it?"

"Here. We're cleaning in there and it's a mess." I tried to smile, shrug, shutting the door behind me. "Buckets and water and mops everywhere."

A howl and very loud growl made us both jump. One of the mutts had caught the sound and smell of the man.

"Australian sheep dogs. Constant cleaning. I train them." I tried to explain it off with a shrug, trying to make my accent more 'Australian', and it seemed to work. He relaxed. "So, a delivery?"

I could have killed Nick. He'd sent … I wasn't sure how many... so many flowers that they were all over the place by the time they'd been loaded off the truck. Not just that but chocolates too. A pair of teddy bears. Two giant teddy bears, to be exact, and I stared at it as the truck drove off. It was up to my waist. It was such a strange difference to what had just happened that I laughed a little hysterically, prodding the bear's nose as I read the note, and lifted up a genuine Harry Potter wand. Blackwood, fifteen inches, essence of wolf claw. Apparently Nick had sent me his wand. He had literally bought one and, apparently thought up ways I could 'use' it.

"What the hell?" Daniella stepped outside and blinked as she entered a flowery front door. "What's this?"

"Nick." I growled. Okay, it was sweet, and it was bad timing, but what if the man had come here while there was smoke billowing out the factory window? "It'll help make it look less ...tormenting. I guess. Can you help me put them around the place?" I stuck the wand into a pocket.

"And the bears?" She prodded it.

"Savannah could use a buddy."

I kept some of the flowers for me, the ones we'd had at the wedding, sticking them around Antonio. Chocolates were shared around, teddy in Savannah's room, and it even made her smile a little as Vi continued the 'cool water on burns' treatment. I had to admit, after the excitement, it was a relief to sit there against the other bear, read the hand written letter from him, and see the photos of the triplets. Eat chocolates. Relax.

I just wished he'd have warned me. We could have ...lit a bonfire outside so smoke looked normal. Or something.

"Savannah will not be able to help any more." Vi announced as I came downstairs to offer Savannah chocolates.

Savannah frowned, clearly upset, but she just took a chocolate and ate it.

"Why not?"

"The burns are at risk of infecting. She can stay here but is no longer able to help us." Vi took a chocolate and sighed. She looked exhausted. "We must ask Elena for help."

"I'm sorry." Savannah muttered.

"No, you've worked hard. Adam will be okay." I tried to smile and she smiled back, weakly, rubbing her head with one part of her hand that wasn't burnt. "At least you can still stay and talk with him. That'll help."

"I will call Elena. Keep putting these on Savannah's burns, gentle, and keep warm." She headed off to get the phone from upstairs. We heard the hose outside, Daniella apparently fighting another wave of flames, as I gently applied the bandages to Savannah's horrible looking burns.

"He's going to feel awful when he comes out of that." Savannah muttered. "I hope it doesn't scar."

"It might be around for a while but ...I had second degree burns once, they didn't scar." I smiled weakly and she smiled back, taking another chocolate with a slow painful movement, the end result worth it. "Not his fault. Guess you better take Vi's orders and not do any more work though, if you get an infection, it'll make him feel worse."

"Ha ha." She rolled her eyes. "You're right. No work."

Adam set the factory on fire twice more that day alone. Eventually Vi decided to sedate him heavily, so that we could move him downstairs, the risk to fire too much to wait for him to settle down again. Without Savannah's help we had to face it. We had to face the basement.

It was dark, dusty, and empty. Like the factory, it held memories I didn't want, memories of something else. Desks. Daniella stiffened, her face drained of blood as we carried him downstairs, and the second Adam was on a bed, she was gone upstairs. Vi and I tried to make it clean, tried to dust, but this was one space that neither of us wanted to spend long in. We had to for Adam's sake but...

I took first watch for Adam, as Vi was looking greener by the second she was down there, already on the phone to Pav. This was one place that she couldn't hide under strength or fire, this basement, and I had no idea why. Something about this place shook her so badly that she wanted to throw up.

There was only one thing I could do. I called Elena when we swapped shifts. Savannah promised to stay away from him, just to watch him, and to come up for us if he got too much. We could barely stand it.

Vi had called her earlier, and she seemed surprised, but not that surprised. "You need help, we know."

"I don't know how we're going to cope. Savannah needs to heal before she can help and Adam has to stay in the basement with me now." I hated to admit it. But we were in trouble. "There's too many here now."

She reassured me they'd find a way and we hung up. I had the feeling that she was as helpless as I was, with Clayton having to guard the babies now, Elena as alpha not really allowed or expected to do this work. Everyone else was vulnerable to the disease and had to stay isolated till it was figured out.

There wasn't much she could do in the end though. No one was allowed to come out, Elena had to stay at Stonehaven, Clayton had to keep an eye on the kids and the toddlers with the Cabal scientists desperate for 'samples' in order to try and find a cure. More sorcerers were being knocked down than any other species, apparently, and they were getting desperate. Unlike us, who could still change and were still technically 'werewolves', it knocked out a sorcerer pretty badly. This was made worse when it became clear that witches were somehow immune. I found out that sorcerers and witches had this fued or thing going on between them and had been for a very long time. Now that the witches were safe from the disease, but there were a lot of sorcerers being knocked down by the disease and made powerless, suddenly Kate, Lily and Susie's blood was precious stuff. Not just blood either. Apparently at one point they did a spinal tap too, something that pissed everyone off, because we'd been told 'more samples'. Not 'stick a needle into their spines'. So Clayton couldn't come help us.

I ended up spending most of my time in the basement after all. My experiences down here only came with my escape and with the 'hip breaking' thing. I wasn't sure what it was about the basement that upset Vi so much, except that she struggled to tolerate it, and she didn't struggle with _anything_. Daniella's womb had been cut out down here. She didn't come back down again. So it was me, and Vi when Antonio needed me to calm him down, as he didn't seem to be calmed down as well by other people. Savannah didn't leave Adam's side, even if she couldn't do much, but the burns were bad enough for her to need pain medication. The blisters looked pretty shocking.

Savannah was right though. The freezer, while it would have been too much for us, seemed to calm Adam down when he started to thrash. We left the door open, of course, but the freezing air cooled him down and whatever flames came out didn't make the same impact as they had before.

We watched the news as we sat down there, watched TV, joked, tried to relax and ignore the place. It gave us both the creeps, that basement, that freezer we had to put him in. The interesting thing was, while this disease didn't affect humans, it was starting to affect their pet dogs and the wild wolves. Amar, when Elena had talked to him, had been excited about this news. If the humans started research too, in order to save their precious pooches, then it'd assist with their research. And the humans did start to research how to cure it- they were obsessed. They called it the 'pooch plauge' and ran incredible figures about how many dogs were getting sick or dying. It may have been made up, I didn't know, I'd heard that the American media wasn't entirely trustworthy... but if people loved anything, they loved their dogs.

A few days after we'd put him down there, Adam started to come back, and we could relax. No more fires were started. He started to wake up for a few minutes, talk, and fall asleep again, not able to really consciously notice time passing, confused, but at least he was coming back. Savannah kept the burns hidden under clothing as she waited patiently.

I was called up by Vi as he slept. Aaron, one of the vampires, was also awake. Or we assumed so. He was walking around the cage, confused, and didn't seem to notice us. Then he collapsed and started to convulse, just as I got there, his body shaking so hard his head kept hitting the ground.

Vi rushed off for the medical kit, yelling at me to put something under his head, and I grabbed my shirt off and pushed it under his head. It was the closest thing he had. I grabbed Aaron's arm, trying to hold him down, his eyes rolled back in his head. Suddenly he was up, slamming me against the bars, pain exploding in the back of my head as metal pole met skull. Teeth tried to sink into me, hands clawing into my arms, Vi's arms flying past my head through the poles to grab Aaron's head and push it back, the medical kit falling out of her hands and exploding on the ground.

"Can you get his hands off you?" She was breathing hard, struggling, and I tried to free my arms. Vi growled, when she saw it was not going to work well, the strength of the vampire's hunger overpowering the fever's affect on his body. "If I let go, he bites."

"Everyone..."

"Daniella is asleep." She growled, I felt teeth drag across my neck as her arms struggled to keep him back. "Savannah is not allowed."

"Does the bite turn me?"

Vi hesitated. "I don't know. I do not think so." My eyes went to Cassandra but she was too out of it herself to answer. I doubted it would, if it did, they would be over run by the people they'd bitten.

He slammed me hard against the bars, probably trying to knock Vi back, another explosion of pain through the back of my skull. Vi fell backwards, cursing, and I realised it was her head that I'd hit that time. But I only had a moment to realise that before teeth sunk into my neck.

Screw teenage vampire romances. This wasn't fun at all. Teeth? In flesh? Pinching that spot was bad enough, at least for me, and I couldn't help but cry out in pain at that sensation, arms in iron fists around me, the vampire person too feverish to know or care about what it was sucking on. He was hungry and I was a walking fountain of blood. I stood there, aware that Vi was lying behind me very still, teeth and mouth clamped onto me with incredible suction, the shock of it making the world sway. The thought to 'think about alternative ways to cool them down such as a hose' drifted through my head ...then it stopped hurting, to my surprise. It felt like I was being drugged. The ability to fight him, which I hadn't stopped trying to do, was fading away.

I saw Daniella out of the corner of my eye pull the door open at the same time the other vampire seemed to inhale, very sharp, aware that maybe she was hungry too. I struggled harder, trying to fight this 'drugged' feeling, as Daniella tried to get his hands off me.

"Cassandra." I tried to warn her, head swimming, the world swaying around the two of us as he fed desperately.

She turned, arm going up automatically when she saw the woman fly at her, and Cassandra latched onto it with the same greedy need to feed that Aaron had. I watched as if I was in a tunnel now, watched with that sense of disconnection, that pain in my neck fading. Watched Daniella shriek with anger and pain as she tried to hit Cassandra's head off her. They were like babies, I thought as my legs gave way, desperate for a feed without knowing what right or wrong was.

I shut my eyes as someone else came into the cage, Aaron's arms tightening on me to keep me up, and fell into darkness.

I woke upstairs, a fucking awful pain in my stiff neck and in the back of my head, body as weak as it had been coming out of the fever. Antonio was beside me on the bed and I felt the air mattress under me sag gently as I shifted. Storage room? I guessed so.

Vi was in the office, I could hear her speaking in Russian to someone, pacing up and down from the sound of feet on floor. No... English. Mixed with Russian. She sounded _pissed off. _Someone was arguing with her. A male. Adam? No, he was still sick. Reece?

Wait, what?

I blinked and tried to listen, groaning as I tried to sit up, aware that I had something tying me down. For a moment I thought I had been turned by those vampires, that I had been ...I didn't know, whatever it was...

That thought was distracted by Reece's voices again, and Daniella's 'You're a fucking idiot!". The sound of something hitting something fleshy. Reece's hiss of pain.

I tried to figure out what it was holding me down and realised as my mind came back somewhat. It wasn't that it was holding me down, it was that it was wrapped around my neck. A stiff bandage. Some kind of neck thing. New fashion? Keep the vampires at bay with the neck brace? Next it'd be a full body fireproof suit for Adam's hot flushes. That wasn't a bad idea, I thought with a wry smile, I'd suggest it later.

Shutting my eyes, I rested back, sure that what I'd just heard had been a trick of the mind. This only lasted for five minutes before I was lifted up, carried into the office, and set down on the mattress n there. A body, heavy, sink into the side of the air mattress, an arm draping across me as someone made themselves comfortable there. I sat up fast, only to have hands yank me down hard, someone pulling the sheet over us again.

"Shh. Don't wake Antonio."

"Reece, you're _supposed_ to be at home." I stared at him, big grin, no sickness at all, the blonde hair and tanned skin looking even worse than usual.

"Don't you start, I've already argued this out with Vi and Daniella. Besides, Daniella needs me." He replied, shrugged, and lay back between us on the small bed, relaxing. Extremely small bed. There wasn't really enough room for us and he kept slipping off the edge of the air mattress "Got another pillow?"

"Does she know she needs you?" Talking hurt. I cringed as I spoke again, reaching up to touch the stiff thing around my neck.

"No, so shh." He covered my mouth again, tugging me back down. "People maimed by vampires don't talk. They snuggle."

He wrapped one arm around me and went quiet, the smile fading as his eyes went to my neck. I touched it. It was clean, no blood, a tank top that was clean now, and I wondered how it'd looked when they'd detached Aaron. Like how it looked when you got rid of a leech, probably, a disaster.

Reece kissed my hair, his hand re-clamped over my mouth every time I tried to speak. There was no way he'd let me say a word. I sighed, shut my eyes, and went to sleep, feeling his arm slide down so that he could hug me close. Maybe a little strange to other people but to us, closeness, snuggles, this was the kind of thing we loved. Usually it happened after a run.

Daniella's voice snapped me out of it.

"What the hell do yo-"

She was cut off and I opened one eye to see Reece yanking her on top of him, twisting around so that he was on top of her, kissing her, grinning as he did. One of his hands held her head so carefully, so protectively, that I noticed that she too had something around her arm. He ignored the thump of her hand against his chest and head, careful I noticed to keep space between their bodies, but he didn't let her up till he was done. He winked at me and I flushed and narrowed my eyes.

"I decided to come help." He replied, sitting up, and flopped back to sit cross legged beside the air mattress, leaving the two of us on it.

"You're going home." Daniella growled at him. She glanced at me. "You ok?"

I nodded and cringed. Silly movement. "You okay?"

"I was, till I wake up to find Reece standing over me." She shot him a look. "I could have taken care of it on my own. You'll get sick if you stay here."

"Course you could. But I'm not going anywhere. You got me as long as I'm able to walk." He ignored her fists, gathering her up in his lap, hugging her against his side. I flushed, getting up, but Reece grabbed my arm and yanked me down. "I'll be like you two then. My women."

"She's your woman." I muttered. He bit Daniella's hand playfully and she slapped him hard. Very hard. Even I cringed when he flinched.

"She is my woman, all right." Reece agreed, cringing, as he reached up to touch the spot.

"We're not a couple." Daniella spoke up, sudden, Reece's soft sigh as he reached up to rub his cheek again, hurt on his face. "We're not one. You don't need to treat us like one."

I blinked at surprise at the two of them, trying to sit up, Reece leaning over her to help me. Forget asking what'd happened earlier with Aaron... this was much more important. "You're not a couple?" I spoke the words slowly, unsure if I'd heard them right, but she nodded. "Even though you sleep in the same room and kiss?"

She flushed and glared at Reece. "I don't get a say in that."

"Yeah, you do, you _always_ get a say. Don't involve her in this." Reece reached out for her, glancing at me with an apologetic look, and she ducked out of his hands, standing.

"How can you two not be a couple?" I watched her storm out, arms crossed, the anger there. I understood, I thought, neither of us liked being weak. Neither of us liked being rescued or weak like this. "You're always together. Sleeping in the same room. _Kissing_."

"I don't know." He sighed, flopped on the bed, still looking hurt. "It's complicated."

I shook my head as I watched him lie there beside me, eyes still on the doorway she'd vanished in. It was pretty obvious, at least to me, who he had eyes for. Had they been like this for two years? No one really saw them kissing, sure, but they shared the same room every night, lived together in New York...

"So when are you going to ask about this?" Reece reached up for my neck, carefully brushing against the stiff bandage thing there. "Or who rescued you?"

"I got bit." I tried to shrug and again cringed. "Guess I got bit a lot. Who rescued me then?"

He flexed his muscles, flashing me another grin, and I rolled my eyes. "Hey, I seriously did. The Russian shiela's on the ground out cold, you're melting in another man's arms, Daniella's swooning in some other woman's arms... so I saved the day. So to speak. Prying their jaws off you wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be."

"We tried to feed them. They wouldn't drink the blood we got." I reached up to fiddle with the bandage, tempted to take it off.

"I wouldn't risk taking that off. Vi was pretty humiliated that she'd been knocked cold when she was needed so she's a little angry. Anyway, you've fed them now. Congratulations." He reached up to touch my neck, smile fading. "From now on, I'm on guard duty, day or night."

I wasn't in charge of that. Elena was. I rested my head against the wall and sighed out slowly. It was good to see Reece again. He'd changed the subject though, about Daniella, and I wanted to know more.

"What are you to Daniella?" I asked, softer, prodding him gently.

"I don't know." He sighed and shut his eyes. "Don't worry about it. She's been through a lot. Your neck looked fucking awful."

"How is Daniella's arm?"

"You both just got one bite. Hicky from hell too, they have incredible suction when they've latched on, you're going to be bruised for days. But it gave me a heart attack though, blood all over their lips, licking your necks, like you're a chocolate fountain, while you bled all over the place." He shuddered. "Makes me glad I'm not a vampire. But Vi wants your necks bound up like that just in case."

"Hey, we eat deer and rabbits. Raw." I reminded him.

"Yeah and they taste good." Reece licked his lips. "We're going home soon and you can try wombat."

"Wombat?" I shuddered. "No thanks."

"Why not?"

"They're cunning, scary, and painful at the best of times when they decide to charge. We'd be covered in bruises by the time we get one." That made him smile as I yawned.

"They've got something in their saliva that makes you go to sleep." Reece yawned too, catching it, and nudged me. "The vampires."

"Not lack of blood that made us faint then?"

"Might have been that too. We gave you some blood." He nodded at my arm and I stared down at it, seeing a little white tape over a spot. "But you seem okay."

"I _am_ okay. Just a bit sore. Can you help me up?" Reece obediently got up and helped me up, arm over my shoulders, as we went to the window. I gazed down at the cage the two vampires had been in. Cassandra was in the one beside him now, I noticed, and both were sleeping. "Like babies."

"Huh?"

"They fed like ravenous giant baby leeches, now they sleep like giant bloated leaches." I muttered and he laughed, squeezed my shoulder.

"I hope breast feeding wasn't like that."

"I only got to do it for a little while. But it was... interesting." I had to admit, that was a sore point for me, and my smile twisted painfully at the memory. I had wanted to try and breast feed them, even if there were three of them, even if it was strange. The bite was a little like that though. "It was a bit like that except less teeth and no wound."

Arms grabbed me from behind. Vi hugged me hard, her chin on my shoulder, her mass of red curls tickling my neck. "I am so sorry."

I turned to see a big bruise on her forehead where the back of my head had met her forehead. She looked a bit upset, angry even, but her anger wasn't directed at either of us. "It's okay. They were hungry and I didn't think about that when I went in."

"How do you feel?" She gently undid the stiff thing, hesitating as I hissed in pain as dried blood caught on the bandage, and for the first time since I'd met her, Vi hesitated. This had clearly unnerved her badly. I glanced at my reflection and saw why. The two teeth, with a few other punctures, had left some pretty nasty looking holes, still weeping blood, and there was the mouth shaped bruise where he'd latched on. I wasn't sure where the vampire fantasy part started... but maybe that only applied to vampires that weren't feverish or delusional. If this was what they did, they'd have been discovered in a second, their prey would scream their bloody heads off.

"Like I was attacked by a giant leech. Are you letting Reece stay?" I asked as she replaced it, keeping it firm, her brown eyes going to Reece who was still standing and watching Daniella down on the ground floor.

"Elena and I have spoken. He stays if he wears this in the storage room or down there." Vi held up a box of disposable face masks. "And gloves. It passes through blood or water so we be careful."

"I got it, no drinking water with a mutt, no sipping on blood, understood." Reece took the box.

"And you sleep under mosquito net alone." She added. There was clearly no room for argument about that either.

"I'll do that. I'll do anything. You need a big strong man-" He yelped as Vi hit him hard, "-I mean, you need some werewolf strength. Sorry. I remember seeing you attack Clay, I don't think you're weak. Um. Is this where you were all kept?"

Whatever Vi had meant to say was cut off by that. She turned to look down at the floor. Her eyes automatically went to where she'd been kept, just as mine went to my spot, like they were screaming at us still. Both spots had empty cages. We refused to go near them. "Yes."

"Daniella too?" His eyes went back to Daniella who was gently sponging off a mutt's forehead, a bizarre sight from her, but he was too unconscious to be a threat to her. It was strange how she turned into this- an affectionate and gentle nurse- when the patient was too weak to know she was there. Reece couldn't seem to believe it either, he shook his head, and I even saw a flare of jealousy there for a second as he watched her care for the mutt. Young mutt. Relevantly good looking one too.

"I don't remember seeing her here. She said she was here though." I admitted. Nudged him, which made him jump, and he glanced at me. "Did you bring food?"

"Ah, dinner." Vi seemed to snap out of her quiet moment. "Reece, this is also your job. Do you feel well enough to observe Antonio, Anne?"

"I can do that. I'll call if I need help." I nodded, cringed, and decided to stop doing that. We went our separate ways, I bent down to pick up the mattress I'd been left on and put it against the wall, before sitting in the chair beside Antonio again in the cool room. "Is Adam okay?"

"He sleeps better. I think he will be awake in a few days." She smiled a brief tense smile. It was a relief.

After that, Daniella and Reece started to argue again, like they had when they'd first reunited. We never saw it, exactly, but we saw the end results of it.

It was after we'd gone out to change again. Vi kept guard on the place, refusing to change right then, so the three of us headed out. The second we'd changed, Reece had bounded over, playful and delighted by this reunion, nuzzling me and heading straight at Daniella the second she appeared.

Daniella snapped at Reece as he bounded up to her, ears going down, fur rising, teeth bared. She wasn't kidding. Only when he backed up several feet did she relax, even then only barely, making her way several more feet away from him. This kept happening as we tried to hunt something to eat, which made it impossible to find anything, so we had to give up, change back, and head into the nearest town for something filling instead. One BBQ chicken each, we could have easily have eaten two at that point, plus extras for the ride home...

That night it got to its lowest point. I woke to the sound of scraping. Someone was dragging something near my head, against the wall, and I opened my eyes to see Reece dragging a mattress to the other wall, so that our mattresses touched in the corner. He dropped some blankets and a pillow on that, and flopped down with a groan, the red mark of a hand across a cheek again. It was only then that he saw me watching him in the dim light.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yeah." I wasn't going to lie. I sat up as he leaned up. "What's wrong?"

"Daniella's decided she doesn't want me near her. At all." He muttered. He tried to smile but it was a tense one, angry almost. "Mind if I stay near you at night?"

"I do night shifts sometimes but yeah, you can. What's she upset about?" I regretted asking it the second I asked, particularly because I didn't like giving advice, and the last time I had it'd turned out badly. He also cringed, closing up somewhat, but the anger burst through. Reece got up, closed the door to Antonio's room, and returned.

He didn't answer for a good five minutes, just breathed in and out, hard, trying to calm down. Finally he spat, "I found her being fucked by the mutts outside. Both of them. At the same time. Fucked _and_ choked."

What? I sat up, thinking I should go out, but he yanked me back down.

"She doesn't want you to stop it. Or me. She wants them to do it. She wants them to hurt her. She enjoys it. Then she comes back and she sleeps, and then she's not as angry for a while." Reece growled low, his hand around the pillow, squeezing hard. The anger flooded his face. "She likes it."

Other ...men? I didn't understand that. "Huh? Maybe you-"

"If you're going to say I'm mistaken, I'm not. She said it herself. I used to follow her to make sure she wouldn't get hurt and ..." He shut his eyes, squeezed them shut. "Or she'd come home. Like that. She likes to go out and get hurt. She likes strange men roughing her up. I can't go near her, I can't treat her good, but she'll let any random human beat her up and fuck her on the street."

I stared at him as he growled, slamming his fist into the wall, over and over, till I smelt blood. I grabbed his hand, and Reece blinked, as if he'd forgotten I was there. He shuddered, the anger not fading, but increasing as he stared at me.

"I don't understand it. Is that why you let Nick have you so fast? Is that what raped women need? To be used?"

I shook my head, ignoring the anger directed at me now, reaching out for the first aid kit on the table. "Not me. I don't know what she's doing."

"How'd you get pregnant so fast then?" Suddenly, Reece moved across the mattresses to pin me down, lips kissing mine hard with all the two years of pent up frustration, his strength more than enough to pin me there. And anger. He was angry. Not with me though, I knew that, and I remembered that apparently men displayed grief and sadness this way, but it scared me what he was doing, especially when he tried to pull my legs open, biting at my top, a low growl there as he inhaled. He was loosing it.

"Reece... it's me." He blinked at me, suddenly, as if he hadn't realised who I was, and was quick to back off me.

"Shit, sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me." He swore, looking like he was ready to get up, guilt flooding his face. "I'm sorry. That was ...did I hurt you?"

Not yet. I breathed out a long sigh of relief and made him sit back down. "No. Stay here."

"I'm just angry." He growled again, squeezing his eyes shut. "That damn wh-"

"You're sad."

Reece's eyes flew open at that. He blinked at me, his jaw tightening, I saw the anger return... and then he blinked again. He shook his head slightly, reaching up to touch it. "I... yeah. I guess I am. Shit. Sorry. I'm taking it out on you. You have a smell like hers." He tried to not breathe in deep, eyes shutting, squeezing shut as pain filled his face as he inhaled. "I don't get it. I don't understand it. I'm offering her love and she wants to go out and be beaten up instead. It makes _no sense_."

"I don't understand either." I admitted. I still wanted to go down and stop it. It felt wrong somehow, even if Reece said that Daniella liked it, it felt strange. I didn't know a lot about rape or how people dealt with it. I just ...didn't think about it and when I did I reminded myself it was about power, not me. "I don't understand. Maybe Elena might."

"Elena?"

"She seemed to understand when I told her." I didn't tell him about Elena's past. It wasn't something she shared with everyone. "She talked to me about it. Or someone. A counsellor. Some kind of hotline about rape."

"You think this is to do with her rape?"

"I don't know. I don't know what she was like before."

Reece went quiet. That hurt came back, that grief, and he said quieter, "She wasn't like this. I'll think about it. Calling them tomorrow."

"They might help you understand. I don't know. I never called anyone. But they're trained in understanding it." I cleaned the bloody hand as he sat there, his breathing slowing, the grief still there. It wasn't just us who'd been hurt. That was the whole point of rape. "It isn't about her. Rape. It was about power. That was it. Power over us. Maybe she feels powerful when she decides to let them."

"Rape's about power?"

"Yeah." I glanced up at him. He shook his head, exhaustion filtering in. "Maybe that's why I let Nick … so fast. Because I knew deep down that he would stop. That it was my choice. He wasn't doing it to feel powerful like ...the others did."

"I don't know how much of it I can take." Reece admitted, quietly. "I don't know. I thought I could wait, and take it from her, but ...I don't know. It was almost like she wanted me to see it tonight." He shut his eyes again, the pain making him screw his face up, and he slid down to lie back down when I let his hand go. "I think she did want me to see it. She knew I can hear her. She knew I'd hear it."

"It's-" I checked my phone. "Three in the morning. You don't have to know right now. Just sleep."

I waited till he'd fallen asleep before I got back into bed. Then I got up. I wasn't sure what to do, exactly, except that I felt like I had to do something. I saw Daniella return half an hour after Reece had come up, limping, but she looked satisfied and in pain all at the same time. It was strange. I didn't understand it either. Was it the power thing? She didn't answer Vi, just headed for one of the rooms downstairs, and I glanced at Reece.

"She's back." He muttered, awake again, eyes on me. "Isn't she?"

"You can hear her as well as I can see her."

"Yeah." He agreed, shutting his eyes, a small shudder going through him. "Yeah. I can hear her. Come here."

I went over and let him pull me into his bed, his arms going around me. "You ok?"

"Stay here. The sound of your heart drowns it out." Reece muttered against my head. "Nick won't mind a cuddle."

"No, but he might get cranky about that kiss." I reminded him, lying on my back as he rested his forehead against the side of my head, an arm draped across my waist.

I felt Reece laugh softly. "I'll take my punishment from the older wolf for it. Tomorrow."

We fell asleep like that, at least until Antonio started to groan and thrash, and Reece got up with me instead of trying to sleep again. Once he had his mask and gloves on, we headed in, and he helped me with Antonio. It was the same thing, higher fever, Antonio vomiting all over us and himself, which meant changing him and cleaning him up. Never mind our clothing. This was a good thing, in a way, because while we changed him and cleaned him, we could also use cool cloths to cool him down again. Reece seemed amused and a little taken back by the 'undress Antonio and give him a sponge bath' part but I had done it so many times now...

"Guess you know your father in law really well now." He commented lightly, and I laughed softly, shaking my head. Reece was trying to not choke at the smell. "Urgh. What have you been feeding him?"

"I've seen you all naked before. Slept with you all naked. I can handle some vomit." I gently stroked the cloth across Antonio's head and shoulders as he was stretched back out, re-dressed, the soiled clothing in the hamper. "Soup broth and some special drink to get over dehydration and to fatten him up a bit. Can you get some? It's in the fridge."

"He might throw it up again."

"Yeah, but we do it anyway." We had to. Antonio's body was loosing weight too fast and we'd started to mix other things in with the broth just to try and stop it. The same problem came with all the mutts downstairs- fast metabolism and a body that couldn't eat the same amount right now meant that they were all loosing weight. No wonder why I was so weak when I'd woken. It wasn't just the strange change in my body, it was also muscle loss. "You don't want to get sick."

Reece returned and we carefully fed him, ignoring his struggles to avoid it, patiently feeding him till it was all gone. It took over an hour and it was just two cup's worth. Reece carted the laundry downstairs while I coaxed Antonio to eat and, as he apparently wasn't tired, started on getting breakfast ready.

When Daniella came up for her shift, he ignored her, and she ignored him. It was a relief to get out of the office at that point. I headed downstairs for the ground floor, Vi heading up for her sleep, and sat there all day ignoring the office _and_ the spot I'd been caged in.

Adam woke up a day later, properly, weak as hell, but awake. Strangely enough though, he hadn't lost anything, not a power, nothing. He was perfectly fine. I didn't understand that. Maybe there was something different about his genetics to ours. Apparently half-demons couldn't pass on their genetics, maybe that had something to do with it, I didn't know. He was guilt ridden over Savannah's burns though.

Then one day we were flooded with people. Sick, the well, sorcerers and carers alike. One second we were alone in the factory, just us and the mutts, then several large trucks pulled up. Lucas had no clue they were coming, neither did Elena, they just showed up. Took the sick inside. And stayed there. The people working for the Cabal, which weren't just sorcerers as it turned out but all kinds of races, took over one of the areas of the factory and the vampires. We were left with the mutts in the other area. We retreated upstairs into the office and storage room, Adam moving his things up there when he could walk, and let them. What were we going to do? Kick them out?

There were thirty sick sorcerers and half-demons. _Thirty_. Thirty more 'carers', one for each, half of them doctors or nurses, and they claimed the basement for the science stuff. Amar was brought in too. He smiled weakly, looking fucking exhausted, clearly glad to see Vi. She smiled a brief tense smile at him as she watched the space get claimed and set up, watched equipment be taken downstairs, Reece standing near us as he watched them warily. We may not have had the full senses he had, as a werewolf, but this was our space. They were invading it. The only good thing we could say was that they were very clear about leaving the mutts to us. They were even kind enough to dump another twenty mutts into our area for us to handle. Twenty? Apparently they'd found them sick and brought them here.

We still had five from before. So that made twenty five of the mutts from the North America area. When we informed Elena, she had trouble believing it till we sent her a photo of it. It was almost every mutt. They were in various states of the fever, some in it for a long time, some of them still lucid and angry about being forced here, and suddenly every cage was filled except for the two spaces we refused to touch. Vi's 'space' and my 'space. Suddenly, we really struggled, because five mutts were manageable. Sort of. But twenty five with raging fevers and that needed constant attention? It was too much. Antonio was still sick too. He had been sick longer than Clayton had been, the disease still going strong in him, and when it took two hours just to get him fed, we knew we had more than we could handle.

This time when we called Elena, she seemed to agree, sighing softly.

Some of the Cabal magically turned up to help, new people, Paige and Ana showing up with them. Lucas wasn't sick, she reassured me, but he was now in isolation too. She was immune to the disease, as apparently Ana was, and they'd help. So would the three doctors and four nurses that Lucas's father had sent us. It was the best he could do.

It at least let me spend more time with Ana. As the week went on, Daniella and Vi had their 'change shift', and Reece, Ana and myself went for it the night after, the two wolves and the jaguar a strange sight probably. He was just amused by her, by how stealthy she was, how good she was at hiding.

Then we were spotted. We found it in the newspaper the next day. 'Locals sight two big dogs and a big cat'. Elena was pissed off about that. I couldn't say I blamed her either. We'd probably strayed too close to the road and had been seen by a truck. Or maybe the humans hunted out there. We hadn't smelt it but it was possible. The only positive was that the witness admitted he'd drank a few beers at the time and Hope, who apparently reported on this kind of thing, helped us out by writing an article that was pretty fantastic and out there. Anyone who'd read it would either roll their eyes and move on, or stick their tin foil hat on their head, get a torch, and go searching for phantom dogs and cats.

I woke up one morning just before sunrise, aware of movement, Reece asleep in the bed nearby, and slid up slowly. The Cabel weren't allowed up here. Maybe it was Ana, or Paige, or any of the others that were allowed but deep down, my gut told me it wasn't. I already knew what I'd find when I went in.

Antonio was awake.

It almost made me burst into tears to see him sit there, newspaper in hand, eyebrow raised as he read Hope's article about the 'phantom' dogs and cat. All he needed was a coffee and some muscles back and it'd be like staring at him any other morning.

His dark eyes came up to mine, clear of the fever, lips twitching up at the emotion in my face, and opened his arms.

I hugged him hard, his arms wrapping around me gently, dropping the paper on the floor. I didn't need to ask, deep down I knew, but I checked anyway. "You back?"

"I'm back. How long did it take?"

When I told him, he shook his head in amazement, and let me sit down beside him. "Did I miss a lot?"

"A _lot_." I smiled weakly. "A lot's been going on while you were asleep. Don't worry about it. How are you feeling?"

"Weak." He inhaled slowly, face twisting with a kind of sadness as he didn't smell anything. "It's all gone. Your smell, hearing, all of it."

"Not everything. You can still change." I squeezed his hand as he sat there, numb, staring at his lap. "I'll get you something to eat and drink and call Nick."

"Call Nick after. Let's eat first." Antonio smiled weakly. "Tell me everything I missed."

I got him breakfast, the fastest thing I could throw together in the pan, fried eggs and things. It woke Reece up who helped out, getting something else ready beside me, and we went to eat and drink with Antonio in the tiny storage room. We filled him in, he wasn't going to let us wait, and only when he knew everything that'd happened did he call Nick. Then Jeremy. Antonio had to use the speaker phone after a few minutes- his arms wouldn't even let him hold the phone up to his ear- but he was clearly back with us now. That was all that mattered to me.

The toddlers spent an hour on the phone to him. Even Dominic talked. They adored him and he fell asleep as they rambled at him, a smile on his face, his eyes shutting and a slow even breathing replacing the horrible uneven breathing he'd had for weeks. I spoke to them for a while before Jeremy got them lunch and we could get lunch ready. Vi hadn't bothered me to leave Antonio when she realised he was awake, instead getting Reece to go downstairs and help Ana out with cleaning things.

I fell asleep beside Antonio as he slept, just relieved that he was back, and when I woke I was in Reece's arms and being carted downstairs.

"Hey, who gave you permission to pick me up?"

"Nick." He carried me down the stairs, careful to make sure my head didn't hit anything. "Have you spoken to Nick lately?"

"He spoke to his dad this morning but not to me. I have to call him. How long was I asleep?"

"A few hours." He rolled his eyes and balanced me in one arm, careful, pulling something out of his pocket.

"She goes no where." Vi didn't let him get two feet onto the factory floor before she spotted us. She narrowed her eyes at him. "She cooks dinner."

He grinned, eyes crinkling under the mask he'd had to put on, sprinting for the door suddenly, and carried me outside. "Come on, surprise for you."

It was raining, a brief shower on our heads, as he carried me out and opened a car door as Vi chased him. Daniella was standing outside, against the wall, looking bemused as I was dropped into the back seat of a car. She glowered when Reece turned to her and headed inside.

The car doors locked, suddenly, as Vi came at the car and tried to open the door. She glared at the front seat. "Open!"

The car took off, suddenly, and I flopped backwards. Stared at the front seat.

"You kidnapping me?" I asked, prying a squeaky toy from under my bum, as Nick waved goodbye to Vi.

"Damn right I am." He drove only for a few more minutes though, just out of sight of the factory, before pulling over and hopping into the back seat. He held out his arms, a pleased look on his face, waiting. For me to hop into them? Was he mad? No. He went "Ta da!" at me.

"What are you doing here? Are you sick?"

"Not sick." Nick yawned, lifting me into his lap, arms tightening around me. "I lost my virginity in this place."

"The back seat of a car or in the middle of no where?"

"In a car." He got an idea, I saw it as he grinned, and suddenly I was flipped onto my back, Nick's heavy body pinning me down. He was trying to distract me, I knew that, and I tried to remember that as he yanked one leg up around his waist.

"You're going back." I pushed at him. "Going home."

"Nope." He nibbled on the side of my neck, curls brushing my ear, the unshaven chin tickling my jaw. "You have to shave me."

"I'm _never_ going to do it again." I muttered, inhaling sharply as teeth grazed my ear, a finger sliding under my bra , eyes shutting. Stop it. He was trying to distract me. This was a bad idea and he wasn't supposed to be here.

"God, I missed you." He growled, trying to be patient with my tshirt, sliding it up. "Look at that. Still there. Can't believe you got a love bite from a vampire. How did it feel?"

"I said go _home_. I don't want you to get sick." I protested, pushing at him, only to be distracted as he sat up and tugged his shirt off in one quick motion, a button flying off somewhere. I couldn't help it. I reached up to touch his chest, stroking my fingers down it, breathing in slowly. "I don't remember. I fell asleep. I miss your smell."

"I missed yours too." He shuddered softly, inhaling, moving to bury his nose between my breasts. "Can't have been much of a bite if it put you to sleep. I love you, my girls, I really do. Never go away again." He grinned, kissing each of them, trying to get them from out of the bra as I pushed at his head. "Hey, let me say hello, I don't want to be rude."

"My smell will be gone if you get sick." I reminded him. He hesitated at that, blinking, and shook his head.

"If you don't get it, I don't. We're mates and I love you. I don't want anything you don't have." He rested down, head on my chest, the awkward position apparently not bothering him at all. The look in his face made me melt somewhat, my heart flutter a bit faster, the past few months suddenly not mattering in the slightest. I wanted to touch him. Touch that chest, those muscles, feel them contract under my fingers.

I added, "But you need to stay strong."

"There'll be a cure." He lowered himself down, tugging seatbelts from under me, head against the side of the seat for a rest.

"And if there's not?" I muttered. "Get home."

"Then we get old and tell the grand kids about the days when the werewolves had super strength." Nick nuzzled against my neck again. "Tell them all about your adventures too. Vampires, mad werewolves, jaguars in the jungle."

"You're already planning on having grandkids?"

"Sure. We're going to marry them to Clayton's kids." He laughed as I shook my head. "Or maybe the Russian ones your friend had. Maybe both. We've got three kids, we can mix it up a bit."

"Good luck trying. You've been avoiding Clay." I finally brought it up. He blinked and nodded. "Where were you? Where have you been all this time?"

"Protecting you and doing work from the car." He didn't try to distract me now, he shifted over so I was on him this time, very gentle with his movements, a hand guiding my head down against his chest. "Relax with me a moment."

"Elena's going to have to punish you." I reminded him, sighed, and did as he asked, unable to resist this offer- listening to his heart. "How?"

"Just watching from a distance. I know she will." He relaxed too, breathing slowing, arms squeezing me a little tighter than he really needed to. "Night off, you get bitten. Should have guessed I had no time to sleep. Those mutts camping outside the factory bother me. Can't we chase them off now? They're like lost puppies."

I didn't tell him that they were Daniella's lost puppies. I just stroked his face with my hand, Nick leaning into my palm as I did, his smile fading and that look returning. That look that was all love and affection and genuine adoration. It was probably mirroring my face. I admired him, his face, his eyes, even the stubble. I did want to shave it. Grooming him was so intimate.

"I love you." I sighed out, a slow release, chin resting on his chest. Shut my eyes. He was here. Nick sighed too, a soft shuddering sigh under me, as he finally heard the words he'd been waiting for. A hand stroked against my lower back.

The door opened suddenly, feet grabbing at Nick's ankles, the two of us pulled hard out into the rain and onto the muddy ground. Hands grabbed my waist, as Nick fell, Clayton pulling me up before I fell with him. Clayton stood above Nick, arms crossed, not looking amused at all. "You on vacation?"

"A bit of sun, working, a bit of sex-" He paused when I nudged him with a foot, tugging my tshirt down. "-well, no sex. But some stalking. Makes for a good break."

Clayton glanced at me and I shrugged. "I had no clue he was here. Till now."

The rain slowed now, stopping, leaving the dust and sand sticking to him. "You've got an alpha to talk to." He didn't glare, exactly, but he fixed Nick with such a look that even I wanted to cringe... and technically it wasn't my fault. Sort of.

"I'm not going."

"You're going with me. Both of you are. The pack's here." Clayton moved past us to the car, yanking the door open, and glanced back to Nick with that look again. "Nick, you have to come. Anne, you can come with me in my car."

"Wait, the entire pack's here?" I added, quickly, as he went past me for the car that I hadn't heard pull up. Clayton tugged open the driver's side. "My babies are here?"

"Everyone's here." Clayton replied, lips twitching. "Coming?"

I was in the car fast, Nick having no choice but to get into his car and follow behind us, Clayton already pulling out. We drove towards the old factory, and closer to it, came to one of the other abandoned houses. Or at least, it was abandoned once, now there was a bunch of rental cars parked out the back. The outside looked quiet but I knew the inside wasn't going to be, knew it without seeing a rustle in the windows, a shiver going down my spine as I felt an awareness of my pack close.

Jeremy greeted me, bringing babies out with him, laughing softly as I hugged both him and the babies in one go, arms stretching. "Welcome back."

"What's everyone doing here?"

"We decided to come closer." Elena called. She put her hands on her hips when Nick pulled up, any trace of a smile gone as he gave her a sheepish 'Hello'. "You- go inside."

"Nice to see you too." He leaned over to kiss her as he went past, arm pulling her in for an affectionate hug, and she pushed at him.

"Isn't it risky for you all to be here?" I asked. Jeremy headed inside and I followed him into the living room.

"There aren't as many mosquitoes here, even this close to winter, and some of us are-" Jeremy hesitated.

"You're sick?"

"Not me. Karl is and Noah is. They're already heading over to the factory now. I know you've got a lot there but ...we'll try and help somehow." He replied quietly, a tense smile. "Some others."

"You sure? How are you feeling?" Nurse-mode clicked on the second he put the babies down, I reached up to touch his forehead. I saw Jamie come out of one of the doors, arms crossed, and she didn't look good either. Susie and Lily started to crowd around my ankles, trying to get my attention, but my attention was taken by how pale she looked. "Jamie, you okay?"

"She's got a fever too." Jeremy said quietly. His dark eyes met with hers and she tried to smile, but she looked awful.

"Necromancers too?"

"It seems so." She tried to smile. "Just have to wait and see what it does to me. Jeremy is coming with me to the factory."

"Nick, you stay in with your babies and the kids. It'll be safe but don't share food or water, or leave your room after night. Those _are_ orders."

"I should call Vi and let her know I'm here." I hesitated. "And to prepare beds."

"Already done. Clayton called me when he located Nick." Elena rested a hand on my arm and glanced down. I looked down too. Lily's eyes were filled with tears as she and Susie circled around me, struggling to get my attention. "You've got the morning off. Be careful with your neck."

I sat down in the middle of them, tears slowing and the girls climbing into my lap. Dominic was focused on his dad, smart enough to know maybe that I was already in hot demand, and Nick sat on the couch with him. "You're sure that they're immune?"

"Kate, Lily, Susie, all three of them. Somehow the three of them are immune." Elena replied, nodding, sitting on the couch beside Nick.

"You're really sure?" I smiled, reaching out to stroke the girl's faces with my hands, tangling in their curls. The silvery blonde curls were already darkening at the roots, just a fraction, showing that they wouldn't be blonde like this for long. There was a bandaid on each of the girl's arms, where there'd probably been blood taken, and even though it'd have only been a tiny prick, it made me angry. Any wound was a wound.

"_Very_ sure. The mutated version only affects male werewolves." Elena sighed out as she watched them. Kate rushed out, closely followed by Logan and Matt, the two of them heading for the TV with a dvd.

"You're here!" Matt skidded to a stop. He grinned. "Want to watch a movie? We're going to watch Narnia."

"Um, sure." I nodded, standing up, heading to the couch to sit beside Nick, the two little girls clinging to a leg each, working together in keeping me in their grasp. I was sure this was a planned idea, even if they were only two years old, and it vaguely reminded me of hunting. The second I was down, they were crawling up, planting themselves in our laps, Nick's arm pulling me close to him as he relaxed.

The three kids sat down in front of us, Matt sliding back so he could lean against my leg, a tiny show of affection that from him said a lot.

Half an hour later, Ana was dropped off, and she sat on my other side the second she rushed in ahead of whoever else was there, happily accepting a toddler as Dominic crawled across us to her. Maybe she missed her brother and her family. It was a lot of work for her to do anyway, help them nurse those mutts.

Antonio was with her. Nick's relief, when he saw his dad weak, leaning on Reece, but alive, almost made me burst into tears again. Antonio couldn't hold the babies yet but he sat down and let them crawl all over him, that grief back again when he couldn't smell their scents. I understood. They may have as well have blinded him for all we'd lost without our noses. I sat beside him as he tried to ignore everything he was missing, tried to focus on what was left, his hand squeezing mine when I took it. Nick got the dinner ready while we sat there and watched the Narnia movies, all three, with the kids. Antonio slept sometimes, watched sometimes, Nick took him to change and shower at one point, but mostly he just wanted to be near us. I didn't blame him for that.

The day was peaceful and calm, quiet, a break, but it was also for Antonio. To try and get him to eat a lot, come back, Jeremy the most anxious out of all of us. He didn't show it, exactly, but he kept bringing food home. Watched Jamie like an anxious wolf. Tried to feed both her and Antonio as much as he could. Lucas turned up. His father had let him come here to stay and keep Cabal under control, apparently his father having not approved the spinal tap, and Lucas could remain in the house near the factory on the sole condition that he didn't leave it. I suspected it was as much to do with the fact that he was near Paige again as anything else.

We headed back to the factory that night, myself, Jamie, Elena, Clayton and Jeremy, Nick, Lucas and Reece staying back, Savannah and Adam joining them to defend and protect the kids, and we came back to chaos. Now we just had to get all the mutts through it.


	9. Connections & Sacrifice

Sorry about that- confusing numbers! :) But hey, twice the chapter now, so happy Valentine's Day. 3

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><p>Clayton, as much as he wanted to support Elena, did not last there long. Particularly when Reece called up and said a couple of scientists had tried to coax their way in. So he and Reece swapped, on the sole condition that Reece accept all and every responsibility for Elena's safety, which I had to say Reece took pretty damn seriously. Clayton and Nick were the ones in charge of the kid's safety. The two dads. I almost wished there was a camera to see that- the scientists trying to coax a little more blood or something from those two. Nick would follow Clayton's lead all the way. And when Antonio was on his feet he joined in when he was there. Three intimidating big men, arms crossed, blocking the scientists from the kids. It would have been hilarious if it wasn't so serious. And if they got past them?<p>

They'd run into Lucas. The son of one of the big guys. He could have, though I doubted he'd ever really do it, get them fired in a second. So basically they had to beg every single time, wait for Clay to call Elena, who'd talk with me, and it'd be an hour before they were even allowed on the propery.

Vi sorted out the schedule again, refusing to let the Cabal doctors or nurses take over, assigning us shifts. I got only one all nighter, which was a relief, now that the toddlers were so close. She knew I'd be wanting to spend the night with them. Instead I was there from six in the morning till four in the evening. Ten hours, and twelve hours overnight one night of the week.

It was surprising but once we'd sorted it out, two people on the floor and two on 'standby' while they watched over Jamie, it somehow got a little easier. We hadn't known what to expect with half-demons or vampires but with werewolves, as physically demanding as it was to keep them safe, they weren't an unknown species to us. They were predictable. We knew the signs for a change, we knew when they were getting too hot, knew how to cool them down. It wasn't easy but it was predictable.

The sorcerers and half-demons were left to the Cabal. We had to duck spells, duck out of the way, but we could try and get into a routine now.

So naturally Nick hoped when I got home, we'd be all over each other, except he'd forgotten. Triplets. Toddlers. Two year olds. I was usually the one cooking too. I ended up juggling toddlers, cooking vast amounts of food for the factory patients, which Vi hadn't factored into it, and getting constant hungry looks from Nick that had nothing to do with the soup. Looks that usually got caught by Clayton who'd threaten us with another honeymoon if he caught us groping.

We stood in the kitchen, toddlers playing with pretend cooking things in the middle, 'helping' me by stirring their play dough and shaping it into things that to them resemble food. More soup. Nick grumbled softly as I had him stir it while I cleaned up.

"So mean." He grumbled, glancing back at me, but there was a small smile there. Nick didn't mind this. His eyes met mine, and that incredible look of hunger came back, the one that made me wonder if he was tempted to try something... how long had it been? Days. Weeks. We hadn't gotten a chance to be alone for a _long time_.

"How's the soup?" I asked, sliding up behind him, slipping my hand down the front of his pants, against the lower stomach. I teased the soft hair there, under his belly button, making him growl. It wasn't just Nick who did the groping or intense looks these days. He grinned, leaning back against me.

"Great.." He leaned back to kiss the side of my head as he tried to stir, growling softly as I slid my hand lower. Nick shuddered, the sense of his reaction going right up and down his spine and into my chest, which just provoked me to keep it up. "What's this for?"

"Making soup." I nipped his neck gently, shutting my eyes, teasing him slowly, hearing Clay's snort of annoyance as he came into the room. Catching us again.

"You're late." He held up the phone. "Vi's calling."

I picked up the phone and swore. Shit. He was right. "Hi Vi."

"You and Nick at it again?" She sounded amused, almost. "Is the soup done?"

"_Again_?" I resisted the urge to tell her we hadn't been 'at it' for too long. Tiny rented house. Toddlers in the room. Pack crowding in. "It's hot but it's done. We'll drive carefully." I glanced up to where Antonio had come in with the keys in one hand. He'd recovered enough to be allowed to drive again. "Not long."

My goodbyes to the toddlers took a while. It was hard, they always acted like it was the last time we'd see each other, and I felt so guilty every time I had to go. I couldn't blame them. The past few months I hadn't been around at all and suddenly I was leaving all day, instead of being home all day, and they were getting clingy and upset every time they suspected I was going. It was impossible to pretend I wasn't going either. They _always_ knew.

We got back to work in the factory again, another day, except today something different happened just a few hours into it. Another half dozen mutts, another group needing fevers to get down, that was normal.

I hurried from bed to bed at the 'half hour checks', taking them and writing them down, amazed how routine this had become. You checked them, you wrote down the details, and without the smell of them, they went from being dangerous mutts that'd gladly jump us if they thought they'd get away with it to being a group of very sick men. Some of them were just teenagers. A couple of kids who were beside their dads, some of the mutts raising their own kids, instead of the traditional 'appear when the kid gets close to the change'. That changed my opinion of werewolves outside the pack. It made them normal, all of a sudden, fathers, and brothers, and someone's son. The first introduction to werewolves outside the pack hadn't been that great.

Daniella worked the other side of the room, neither of us speaking, I had no idea what to say to her. Reece would stand guard at the end of the room, arms crossed, and I'd bought him an outfit that resembled the crocodile hunter's outfit for a laugh. The looks he got from the Cabal scientists and doctors was hilarious, he'd stride past in leather pants, the boots made from 'genuine crocodile leather', that stupid looking hat, and I'd even found a tooth on a leather chain. Add that to his skin, which had gotten even more tanned in the winter desert sun, the blonde curls and the Australian accent coming from under the hospital mask... not many people in the factory outside the pack wanted to argue with him. The women in particular.

He did it to make me laugh. It made him laugh. But I knew he wasn't happy, his eyes avoiding Daniella's eyes, arms crossed most of the time, doing his 'job' when he had to. I noticed he was still protective of her, like it was as hard to resist as sneezing with eyes shut, and it made me want to smack her myself. I was protective of _him_. He was like a brother I'd never had. I liked her too and while I felt bad for her, for the pain she had probably endured, I did not like the way she was coping with it. Especially as she was dragging him into it.

Shaking my head free of those thoughts, I finished the checks and went to sit back down beside Reece as his head twitched up. His nostrils flared and I smiled somewhat, checking my watch, knowing what it was he smelt. Dinner.

"What is it?"

"Spaghetti. Some kind of creamy sauce. Turkey in it." He informed me, relaxing back, arms behind his head. Reece took off the hat and dropped it onto my head. "Bacon too." His smile faltered as Daniella vanished from the room, but just for a moment. "Cake for dessert."

"We get dessert tonight?" I reached up to adjust it onto my head. It was a bit big for me.

"Smells like it."

Moments later our bowls were brought down and he wasn't wrong. I missed that, a sense of smell so keen I could tell exactly what was in my food if I concentrated, but it was getting easier now. Daniella returned and sat down nearby. The three of us ate silently, conversation fading as that awkward passive anger came back from all three of us, even with Reece trying to joke around. After a while we just put the TV on and watched that.

It was getting dark outside. I was supposed to be at the house already, it was well after four, but Vi had needed me to hang around- Elena and Jeremy had to go back to the house for the evening. Paige had to go back to New York with Ana. It meant that suddenly numbers were back down again. Nick had ignored my text and refused to answer the phone so I knew how he felt about this idea- he'd suggested we'd spend the night alone together if his dad cared for the babies. No sex for a few months and he got cranky. So did I- I just took it out on other things. Like cooking. No sex? I cooked a lot of food.

"Can you take this out and put it on?" Vi called as she came in, a sack of laundry in one arm, staggering a little as she came down the metal staircase. Reece got up to help her and she shook him off as she dumped it into the wheely thing we used. "We have put it off too long."

"How is Jamie?" I asked, though it was a silly question, because I knew the answer. Jeremy wouldn't have left the property if she'd have been anything other than safe.

"Her fever is not as bad as others. Miserable but she is fine." Vi answered, smiling somewhat, the relief there. Vampires snacking on us, half-demons setting the place on fire, it was a relief to find out that necromancers didn't get as sick and didn't ...release the dead everywhere. Or something. Savannah was still healing from her burns and we didn't need another person to get hurt. "Sheets in a plastic bag inside, clothing in another, and the towels loose." In other words, she wanted me to wash them all separately, which meant I'd be out in the small shed outside for well over an hour or more. We had two machines and one dryer in a shed outside, the machines not quiet and warming the area around them, so it'd made sense to keep them seperate to the sick.

"This is why you kept me back?"

"Sorry, yes. Savannah cannot do it. Adam does not do it right." She shrugged lightly. "I must stay upstairs." Observing everyone, as she cared for Jamie, in other words. "Wait a minute. I have another thing you must do."

I didn't need to ask what it was. When she returned, it was with the other trolley, covered with the dishes. Another logistics problem- when we fed a lot of people, as we were, it involved a lot of dishes. And sadly the only thing in the shed for this task was one dishwasher, which was designed for a family of four or so, and a sink.

"So cleaning duty tonight?" I asked and she nodded, an apologetic look.

"I'll wheel it out." Reece offered. When Vi nodded her agreement the two of us headed outside into the darkening night across the bare ground towards the little shed. The tents were some distance beyond that, the two of us ignoring the mutts and the fire, and Reece headed back inside once he'd dropped off his one. Very helpful of him.

I threw the clothing into one machine, towels into the other, and loaded the dishwasher with the first load. The sink was needed to soak the sheets, they had all kinds of nasty fucking stains, so I dumped them out of the bag into the sink and filled it with hot water and the stain stuff.

There was a little chair there so I sat in it, took out my phone, and waited. Nick still hadn't replied. I sent him a photo of my cleavage, just for a laugh, and when he didn't even respond to that in his usual way - he'd take a photo of his 'cleavage'- I knew he was really upset about this.

Leaning back, I shut my eyes, listening to the machines and the insects outside. It was dark outside now, the light in the shed attracting insects through the partially open door, and as annoying as it was to have to clean these things, it was a task I'd come to like. I put on music on the phone, glad that it did that, and waited patiently.

Half an hour later and a message came on the phone and I lifted it up, fast, expecting to get a reply from Nick.

It was from Nick's phone but the photo wasn't of Nick. I knew him well enough to know that wasn't HIS penis. What the hell? I couldn't see Clay doing it. Or anyone in the pack, really, except for maybe Reece if he was a bit drunk- after all, I'd seen them all naked after the pack runs- but he wouldn't have done it with an erect penis like this. Even he wouldn't cross that line. And anyway, he was inside, he wasn't drunk.

One of the machines shut off, the towels, and I left the phone there while I transferred the towels into the dryer, feeling oddly uncomfortable about that message. Someone had taken Nick's phone and had apparently liked the photo I'd sent. Photos, if he hadn't deleted the other ones, and I doubted he would have. He wouldn't have sent it either. Nick might have been angry with me for not saying no to Vi, when I probably could have, but he had that jealous nature that came with the mate 'bond' we had for each other.

This uncomfortable feeling I had was put aside as I plunged my arm into the sink to drain the water. It was warm now but the sheets were still pretty nasty looking and I had to get them into the machine after I'd rinsed them as best I could. Soaking wet sheets covered me with the slightly soapy warm water, and I made a face at that. They weren't washed yet. Once they were in the machine, I sighed, relaxing.

Now just the dishes.

I tugged my shirt off, rinsed the soapy crap off it, and threw it into the dryer with the towels. Vi wouldn't notice. It was a crappy old bra that wasn't lacy or see-through, so if Reece came into check, it wasn't going to raise an eyebrow. The dishes then, clean on the bench, dirty in the machine...

Hands pushed me against the machine as I closed it, a body coming up behind me, and I glanced back to see one of the two mutts camping outside and another man I didn't recognise.

"You might want to let me go." I warned them, fury flooding my face as his hips pushed harder into mine against the dishwasher, hands twisting my arms behind my back. I could feel it- what I'd seen on the phone- feel it through his pants. Damn. The idiots stole Nick's phone. Probably from the car this morning. I spoke louder, over the loud machines, growling as I added, "I don't play with mutts." I glared over my shoulder at the older of the two, the one pinning me, recognising him as one of the two mutts that'd decided to hang around and camp here. One of the ones that Daniella had probably messed around with.

"I don't know about this." The other one was hesitating, staring at me, but the first didn't seem to care. I didn't know him either- he wasn't one of the recovered mutts or one from inside the factory. Maybe he wasn't one at all. I didn't know any more. "She looks serious."

"Bullshit. They're all gagging for it." He twisted me around, hands grasping at my breasts as he released my arms. "See? No shirt. Took it off the second she saw it. Going to play with yourself?"

There wasn't time to ponder the difference between male and female attraction to 'porn' or anatomy. I hit him hard with one of the plates on the bench, no mercy as he groped me, the china shattering over his head.

"Fuck. You bitch!" The mutt, maybe a little older than Nick, staggered back as he reached up to touch the blood trickling down his head, pain fogging his eyes. "That fucking hurt."

"I warned you. Get out." I pointed at the door, growling as he stepped closer, reaching for another thing. A heavy china mug. It would hurt too.

"Seriously. I don't think this is a good idea. She isn't like the other girl." The other one was stepping back, as my teeth bared, intimidated. Maybe he'd seen my video online.

"You seem like the smart one. Might want to listen to him." I was unnerved by this though, alone in the shed with the two of them, something deep inside shaking. Mutts and smells. It was always that damn smell.

"If she was like you right now, she'd have put that through my head. Grab her." The older one ordered, growling as the younger hesitated, grabbing him and shoving him at me.

I swung the mug at him, hard, as he did what he was ordered to do, and when he grabbed my wrist to stop it, I knew he was a werewolf and he hadn't been sick yet. He was still at full strength and his nostrils flared as he came close, that smell breaking away some of his apprehension, twisting my arm behind my back as the mug fell and shattered on the concrete.

The older one grabbed at my neck, squeezing, thumbs pressing against my windpipe, cutting the air off as he pressed a hand to the bleeding cut across his forehead. I gasped, trying to free it with my other hand, as I was lifted up. For a second, just a second, I blacked out, but I woke the second my head hit concrete and a sharp pain in my back reminded me of the mug. I was yanked forwards a foot, skirt sliding up my legs, the wet floor from the sheets under my back, the water cold now.

I had the sudden memory of something like this. Something, somewhere else, a man pinning me there, another man watching. It was confusing, it scared the crap out of me, this memory that I didn't have but ...I did have.

Trying to bring myself back to reality, fight the urge to go to sleep, I fought, growling, teeth sinking into the man as he tried to lower himself closer, the other one holding me down with that strength I no longer had. A hand clasped over my throat again as I shouted for Reece, cutting me off, the machines rumbling loudly beside me, the older man trying to get the shards of broken china off the ground so he could kneel between my legs. It was delaying him, frustrating him, and he paused to rip the bra down the front, before he tried to get the china out of his way. Under my legs. He didn't want to have to clean it up. He just wanted to get on top of me.

The younger werewolf tensed and cursed. He saw him before the older man did, saw Nick standing there. He inhaled, smelt my blood, saw me struggling, and I saw a murderous fury there. I'd never seen him angry like this. Never. His neck pulsed, eyes narrowed, breathing fast, his arms shaking. The older man was too preoccupied with the china and squeezing my neck to keep me quiet, unzipping his pants when he was sure he was safe.

Nick hit him so hard that I was sure I saw the skull cave in, blood covering Nick's arm as it splattered upwards, the younger werewolf jumping back, arms up, trying to say something. He didn't get a chance, Nick stepped over me, only to be grabbed by Reece from behind, struggling and swearing. He wanted to kill him. I didn't need to hear him to know that.

I tried to stand up, legs shaking, tugging my skirt back down, grasping onto Nick from the front. He didn't even seem to see me now, eyes locked on the younger werewolf trapped against the washing machines, shaking so hard his jaw was chattering. It was only when my arms slipped around his neck that he flinched and stared at me, recognition coming after a few seconds of blinking.

He shuddered, relaxed, and when Reece let him go, grabbed onto me and lifted me up. Reece went for the other one. I didn't see what he did with him, Nick was carting me out into the dark night as fast as he could, sliding his shirt off and wrapping it around me. I didn't like being weak in front of him but if the alternative was to have a couple of idiotic mutts try their luck with me... he could cart me all over the place in his arms, flex his muscles, and declare himself Tarzan for all I cared. Except, I realised with a sinking heart, I had a job to do. And clean up the shed. And get my shirt out of the dryer before Vi realised I put it in with the towels and all hell break loose.

"Nick, you can put me down now."

"Car." He muttered, circling around the factory, arms tightening.

"I have to do the washing."

"You have to get in the car." He gave me a look that shut me up. He was really upset. I nodded, leaning up to kiss his jaw, and he relaxed somewhat. When we got to the car, he got in the back with me, and let me go only when the door was shut and locked. "Where are you bleeding?"

"I don't know." I wasn't sure. My head hurt, I knew the china had cut some places, and he followed his nose to the spots, tugging the first aid kit out from under the chair. In the light of the factory, he treated them, one arm staying around me the entire time. "It's okay. I kicked their ass."

"Yeah, I know." He muttered. "I saw that. That cure better come soon."

"They wouldn't dare then." I muttered. I went quiet, trying to figure out what it was I'd remembered before, the flash to something else. Something that was like a memory. It was confusing and upsetting. The pain of Nick pressing against a wound on my back made me hiss and him withdraw his hand fast. "I think there's china in it."

"Now you tell me. What did they do, throw plates at you?" He flipped on the light so he could see better, tugging tweezers out so he could fish it out, twisting me around.

"Other way around." Weapons, when you were a weakened werewolf, weren't cowardly. They were smart. I wondered if I should carry a knife.

When he was done I made him stop so I could clean his hand, still covered in the man's blood, inhaling sharply myself when I saw the cut there. On Nick's hand. Covered in the man's blood. Nick didn't seem to know what had upset me, maybe hadn't noticed it, but I did. I grabbed the alcohol swabs and tried to clean it deep, ignoring his protests that it wasn't that bad, sticking the antibacterial stuff all over it. I'd have to tell Vi- I didn't know if the older man's blood was still dangerous after he'd recovered or if Nick was safe.

Nick kissed the back of my neck gently, arms wrapping around me when it was done, his chin finding my shoulder and weighing down there. "It's okay. I saved you."

"You did, didn't you?" I smiled somewhat at that, shutting my eyes, still a bit stunned by that element of it. Nick wasn't the warrior kind of guy but it'd come naturally enough. "Might need a special reward for that."

"Never been that angry before." He muttered, trying to smile, but he was still shaking. "I didn't hear anything wrong over those damn machines. I just saw you there and ...snapped."

"I know. It's okay. Nothing happened in the end." I turned around to stroke his face, gentle, he seemed almost in shock now. Nick's eyes went down to my neck and the frown line appeared.

"Who did that?"

"The one you hit."

"_Good_." He growled, leaning closer, nuzzling against the swollen flesh. Nick reached for the medic box again, rummaging, and tugged out one of those disposable ice packs. He pressed it against my neck as it got cold. "You didn't get raped?"

"No." I reassured him, taking his hand, pressing it down between my legs, so he could feel for himself. Nick blinked, lips twitching, inhaling as my legs opened slightly for him. He would have known, would have smelt it, but I could see the fear in his face. So much fear and confusion. I wondered if he remembered much yet. "Do you remember ...a lot yet?"

"Not after New York." Nick admitted. "Bits and pieces. I don't need to. You're mine."

I shut my eyes and shifted up against him, letting him hold onto me, the two of us relaxing.

The car shifted, I flinched, and Nick stroked my back gently, relaxing me. "Reece."

"All taken care of. They're packing up and will be gone by sunrise." Reece called from the front. He was breathing heavily and even I could smell the blood on him. I felt a hand reach back, Reece's hand, handing me my phone. The photo was still on it. "That Nick's way of turning you on?"

Nick took one look at it and flung it hard out the window, so hard that I saw it shatter against the factory wall, his body tensing. He knew it wasn't him either. "Someone stole my phone. That isn't mine. Mine's bigger."

I snorted, making Reece laugh, and even Nick relaxed somewhat at that. Typical. Dick size competitions even when he was this stressed.

"Yeah. Sure." Reece shook his head. "Seatbelts on."

Nick tugged it around the two of us and Reece pulled out.

Reece went inside to get me something to wear while Nick waited with me, his hand still between my legs, stroking me gently there, though he seemed distracted and not that interested. Even his kisses were soft, his mind somewhere else, arm draped across my back. Reece dropped off a dress and bra and I dressed while Nick got out and tried to stretch.

"Come on." He held out his hand and when I got out, Nick shut the door and pressed me against the car door, ignoring Reece's hiss of 'come on', kissing me hard, tongue finding mine. We stood there, arms wrapped around each other, ignoring Reece. A few precious seconds left. Just a few...

Reece yanked me away, shoving Nick to one side, the two of them bumping against each other as I headed for the door. It was dark inside and I was sort of tired. A drink and a snuggle, and a bottle for the babies, maybe a change for them, another snuggle with Matt and a book, and then bed. The usual bedtime routine.

"Surprise! Happy birthday!"

Sound and lights and explosion of streamers greeted me, Nick's arms grabbing me as I backed up, people jumping out from various bits of furniture as an excited Susie ran at me and grabbed for me, smelling of bath, still slippery.

"What?" I blinked, staring at everyone, and then at the cake. "Who's birthday?" Had I interrupted Reece's birthday surprise?

"Yours, Aussie." Nick murmured against my neck, leaning over to kiss Susie's scalp as she laughed, her hair wet. "You forgot, didn't you? I came to fetch you."

I did forget but it wasn't for long. Jeremy checked me out in the kitchen as Elena directed the 'feast' to be laid out, mostly takeaway, the toddlers over-excited and screaming as they ran around, the kids just as bad. This was okay because tonight it wasn't my job, apparently, and that just made me want to do it more. We ate, watched bollywood, which was amusing in that the kids seemed to be more excited by it than the adults, and even the adults got into it- they had to, because someone had to read the subtitles out. Nick ended up doing it with Elena. Then cake.

By the time it was eleven, I sat there, Susie slumped across my shoulder, fast asleep, her little arms wrapped around my neck, Lily in Antonio's arms, Dominic curled up against Nick. Matt had fallen asleep on the ground, so had Logan, Kate hadn't stopped watching the movie the entire time. She didn't seem to notice or mind that the adults had stopped reading subtitles for her- she made it up herself, using her imagination as only a kid could, enraptured with the story.

Nick took Dominic and Lily to bed, then returned for me, lifting me up with Susie, the few beers he'd had relaxing him from the scare he'd had earlier. Same deal for me. Nothing like alcohol to relax us. Reece was asleep across a chair, Elena and Clayton having retreated once they'd lifted the kids into bed, and Nick went back to get Matt into his bed in our room. He flopped into my bed with a sigh, glancing at the full room, and flopped with a soft groan.

"Sorry." I murmured, leaning across to kiss his jaw, his cheek, his lips, as he rolled onto his neck. Nick shrugged in the darkness.

"Maybe tomorrow. Love you, Liz." He leaned up, rolling me over, his body curling protectively against my back, the exhaustion in his voice.

I got up early the next morning, leaving Nick to sleep in, carrying the babies out one by one into the living room. Reece was still asleep there, passed out under a blanket, and I tried to feed and change them quietly. Toddlers didn't do anything quietly. Reece woke up, halfway through, getting up and helping me hand out breakfast and keep them on the 'splatter proof mat' they used without their high chairs.

"Sorry." He muttered, as we worked, one hand coming up to brush against my neck. I couldn't see it till I looked at our reflection in the window. It was bruised and nasty looking now, a clear hand print against the pale skin. Reece looked guilty as he stared at it. "I asked Elena to let them stay."

My gaze swung to him, surprised. "You asked her?"

"I was afraid that Daniella would go if they went." He absent-mindedly picked up the spoon that Susie dropped, cleaning it with his shirt, and handed it back to her, too guilt ridden to think much about the ceral he'd wiped all over himself. "I thought … I didn't know they'd try it with you."

"It was just stupidity. Don't worry about it. Where is she?"

"I don't know." The look on his face, the grief and fear, and anger, it made me go quiet then, Reece's gaze dropping away. _He'd_ made them leave and he didn't know if she'd go with them. Neither did I. "I wouldn't have asked if I knew this was going to happen."

"Nothing happened. Forget about it." I insisted quietly. He didn't answer, just continued to help the babies feed, before Reece got the bag of dirty nappies and headed for the kitchen with them.

We drove off, when Antonio was up and able to watch the kids, the rest of the house still fast asleep. It was just barely after six when we got there and we went to work quietly. Daniella was there still, asleep upstairs, I saw her as I went to check in on Jamie. Jamie was looking better too and to my surprise, Jeremy was there, apparently having driven over after we'd all gone to bed. He was fast asleep next to her, the two of them almost matching each other's soft breathing, her hand clutched hard in his hand as he slumped beside her. Vi smiled a soft morning and came out as I guestured carefully.

"What is it?"

I told her about the night before. She knew about it, of course, but she hadn't known about Nick's cut. No one knew. I didn't want there to be panic.

"I will ask him to come for a look. I will not tell him why." She reassured me. "It may be if the man was well, he may not be a danger, but we will watch him carefully."

I nodded and started on the breakfast for everyone as Vi went downstairs to watch the ground floor, mostly just boxes of cereal and long life milk with tinned fruit, carting them downstairs and setting them out on a table so everyone could help themselves. Then we moved around the werewolves with the nurses, coaxing each to try to drink the soup broth I'd made, sometimes working, sometimes not. Then I headed outside and cleaned the shed. It looked like Reece, or someone, had stuck a hose on the bloody floor, but the china was still everywhere and the washing half finished. It took several hours. The tents were gone, fires put out, and the healed mutts that had been hovering around had cleared out. It was a relief in some ways.

Close to lunch a tourist bus stopped outside the factor, an older woman got out, and I watched her walk up to the factory with a dazed look on her face. It was like she wasn't quite sure what she was doing here.

I pointed her out to Vi who blinked, the two of us getting the soup heated up for lunch for everyone in the office, and she suggested I go down. "Get her going if you can. I will get a lift if she is lost."

Nodding, I jogged down, heading outside.

"Hi, can I help you?" I shut the door before she was spotted by anyone inside. The last thing we needed was the Cabal doing something stupid when it was easily dealt with. "This is a private factory."

"I'm sorry. I'm Lillian. I just-" She gazed at it, fingers grazing across the fence. The woman looked vaguely familiar somehow, dark brown hair, blue eyes, maybe in her sixties. The hair was dyed, I could see the trace of silver roots, but she still looked pretty good for her age. "I dreamed of this place."

"You dreamed of this place?" Suddenly it hit me. I knew where I'd seen her. She was the spitting image of Nick.

"Yes. Someone kept calling for me. I ...just saw it and got off the tour bus, middle of a wild flower tour, and told them I'd meet them at the hotel." She seemed almost lost in that, vague, staring at it as it was a dream itself. When she caught my face though she flushed. "I'm sorry. I don't even know why I got off the bus. I'm sorry. I think I may have had a little too much sun. I'm not even sure what I'm doing here." Lillian laughed, a small embarrassed laugh as she gazed around the factory, confused. "Could you call me a cab? I think I have lost the last of my marbles."

I gazed at Nick's mother as she tried to laugh it off. "I'm sorry, I don't know if there are cabs out here. You had dreams about this place?"

"Funny, isn't it? Sometimes I have dreams like that. I'm afraid it's a bit of a drive to the hotel from here but I can pay for the gas. Are you Australian?" Her eyes went back to me, sudden, that shock returning behind her embarrassment. "I think I remember that too. Maybe we were meant to meet."

Jeremy came out, sudden, and I stiffened. He was the logical choice for this- a random human woman showing up- he was good looking, diplomatic, and firm enough to send any human leaving.

The problem was that she didn't need dreams to recognise him. I knew that the moment her blue eyes fell onto Jeremy and her jaw opened. He didn't recognise her, I suspected, but she knew him. He had been Antonio's best friend since they were kids.

"J... Jeremy?" Lillian stared at him in renewed shock. "Are you Jeremy Danvers?"

Jeremy froze halfway down the path to the road and nodded slowly, the hint of caution as the woman spoke his full name. As the ex alpha, in the supernatural world, he wasn't unknown. "Can I help you?"

Lillian seemed lost for words. I saw it, hurt there, decades upon decades of hurt, as he reminded her of everything she'd lost. Saw her blue eyes go moist sudden. That same frown line appeared between her eyes. "Is this a joke?"

"Lillian has been dreaming about this factory for weeks." I placed my hand on her arm gently, feeling her jump, eyes going to Jeremy. It took him a few minutes to put Lillian to Lily and ...

"Lillian?" He repeated, quietly, staring at her. Then at me. "Did you contact her?"

"I never met this girl before in my life. I just hopped off my tour bus here. I had dreams about this place. That I was being called. Stupid, really. You can't be Jeremy. He'd be as old as I would now." She tried to laugh, tried to, but that look didn't leave him. "My kids keep telling me I'm loosing my marbles since Anthony died. I suppose they're right."

Jeremy's eyes met mine now. He didn't know what to do. Neither did I. Antonio would want to know, without Nick knowing, but ...

Neither of us has to make that decision.

Antonio came out when the human wasn't dealt with. He stopped as Lillian and he caught each other. I didn't need to be psychic to feel THAT impact of their eyes meeting, it may have as well shock the entire damn world, Lillian's body swaying the second she recognised him.

It was only when he suddenly rushed forward that I realised she wasn't just swaying from shock. She was literally fainting. I grabbed her as she slumped, eyes rolling up in her head, Antonio there surprisingly fast for someone who was still weak from the disease.

"What is going on? Jer?" His eyes went up to Jeremy who still stood there, looking stunned. "What's she doing here?"

"She's been having dreams about being called and this factory for weeks." I said quietly. "Went on a wild flower tour and ...when she saw this place, she made them drop her off, and told them she wanted to make a surprise visit to someone. She has no idea what this place is."

"She's been dreaming about it?" Antonio reached down, then withdrew his hand, as if he was afraid to touch her. Afraid to make any contact. He almost looked afraid, maybe that she wasn't real, or that it was a dream. Tormenting him again. "We can't leave her out here."

"No." Jeremy agreed. Quieter now. He was reaching into his pocket for the keys. "We should drop her off in town. They'll help her."

"You're probably right." Antonio said quietly, gazing down at her, his own olive skin pale now. My growl made them both freeze.

"Come on. Seriously? She's here. Don't just drop her off like she's a crazy old woman." I growled, making Antonio cringe. "You kept calling for her in your sleep. Now, like a good mate, here she is. Don't give me the 'it's for her own good' crap. Or the 'it's for his own good crap'." My eyes went to Jeremy as his mouth opened. I wasn't usually into telling off my elders but for this? After seeing Reece and Daniella break apart like that? Screw that happening again. "At least talk to her. Or is she too old for you now?"

Antonio froze and gazed back down at her. The expression he had showed that he clearly did not think that. I may have seen a sixty... seventy, really, year old woman but he saw that teenager again. He had that expression some married couples still gave each other decades on, when they were old and wrinkled and still so in love with each other that it made marriage look worth it all over again.

"Nick-" He said quietly, finally, "She'll want to know about him."

"Nick's an adult now. She's lost her husband. I can tell you, as a mother, if Nick had taken my kid..." I knew this was harsh, I knew that he knew, but, "...I would spend the rest of my life heart broken and looking. You need to tell them." It was harsh and I saw the pain in his face but whatever choices he'd had to make then... it was a long time since then.

Antonio's head swung up at me at that. Only now did he risk touching her, brushing the hair out of her face, shoulders stiffening as he felt the feathery hair under his thumb. He inhaled slowly, his own eyes wet now, still clearly not believing it.

"It's your choice, Tonio." Jeremy said quietly. "Pack laws are different. As long as you don't tell her what we are without Elena's approval..."

"We'll take her back to the house then." Tonio agreed quietly. He wanted to lift her up but there was no way he would. Jeremy glanced back at the factory, thinking of Jamie, but he was the only one who really could do it.

"Jamie will be fine for a while." He decided quietly. "I'll drive the two of you back. Nick may need you there, Anne."

She didn't wake, thankfully, during the quick drive. But she woke as we pulled up, head lifting up, seeing Antonio beside her. He withdrew his hand and she stared at him again with that expression of shock and hurt.

"Is that you?" She asked, voice barely raising above a whisper. "You bastard. What did you do? Where is he?"

"Come inside and I'll explain." Antonio said quietly, eyes down, avoiding her rage. Maybe my words had been to harsh. He looked pretty upset.

"Where's my son, Antonio."

A toddler appeared against the window then, sudden, making all of us jump. Lily squealed with laughter as my eyes met hers, trying to get her arm in the window, and Nick pulled her away with a wicked grin.

"She knew it was you. Clever girl." He called as he opened my door. "Surprise lunch visit?"

"You could say that." I replied, taking Lily, and turning to Lillian. Her namesake. "I'm sorry it's a shock, but could you come in for lunch? Please?" Nick was heading inside, probably for the next toddler, because I saw a small face appear under a blind at the window, pulling it apart so hard I was afraid it'd break. Susie.

Lillian stared at me and then at Antonio, then Jeremy. "Who are you?"

"My daughter in law." Antonio said quietly. "This is my grand daughter. Lily." He reached out for her as she reached for him, big smile that she had reserved especially for her granddaddy, and Lillian froze.

"Just lunch. After that, I can take you back anywhere you like." I offered.

"Okay." She got out, her legs weak, and Antonio slid out after her.

Nick came back out with the last two toddlers, Susie and Dominic, and their eyes met.

For a moment he stood there, blinking, the bright sunlight maybe confusing him, and she did the same thing.

"Antonio?" He reverted to the safer name, his eyes going to his Dad, and the second he saw his dad's face, he knew. He knew already, really, he knew what his mother looked like. But to see her standing there... "Dad?"

"Nicholas?" Lillian swayed again, grabbing onto the nearest thing, which happened to be Antonio and Lily.

"Breathe, Lily." Antonio said quietly, his free hand on her shoulder. "It's Nicholas. Nick. Here he is. These are his children."

"I don't understand. It was just a dream." She was just about ready to faint again. "I don't get it."

"Not all dreams are just dreams." I said quietly. "Come in. I'll get you a drink."

Nick stared at us as we went past, frozen, the toddlers not understanding what the problem was. A random strange woman wasn't cause for alarm in their world. He only followed when we were inside.

Lillian seemed to recover when I got her a cup of coffee, real coffee, her face drained of blood. The toddlers were too much. I made Nick take them into the bedroom they shared with the kids and Jeremy went back to the factory.

She reached out, hesitating, as she stared at Nick. Touched his face, his hair, he was much taller than she was, stared at him with the look of a mother who'd found her child again. A bit late, but it was her child.

"I have photos of him." Antonio said quietly. "At home. Some here." He offered his wallet's collection.

"How could you take him?" She grasped at Nick's arms, hugging him close, and Nick froze before his arms grasped her back, the shyness not something I was used to seeing in Nick. This was a woman he couldn't flirt or tease. He didn't know how to behave with a mother. "How could you do that to me?"

"I had to."

"I'll make lunch." I said quietly. Clayton was in the kitchen when I retreated there. Antonio and Lillian were talking. No, he was talking, she was arguing. Decades of hurt being thrown at him with every barb she could find. I wondered if she'd released Nick yet.

"What's going on?" He stared at the wall between the kitchen and the living room as if he could see right through it. "This about the thing that happened last night?"

"Nick's mother found us. Dreams." I answered quietly. Lunch. Comfort food. Mac and cheese would be good. It'd calm everyone down.

"Nick's mother?" Clay stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "That's ..."

"She's in there. Right now. Saw Antonio sick in her dreams and followed them to him. Now he's getting-" We heard her swear at him, that fire there suddenly, "-a grieving mother's wraith."

I wasn't sure if I felt sorry for him or not. I didn't know what the pack had been like then. Maybe it had been safer for her.

"I should go in." Clay muttered but he didn't move. Instead he stepped closer and picked up the grater as I dropped the cheese on the table, glancing at the two then at the recipe I'd put on the laptop's screen, then at me. "I'll grate cheese."

"Okay." I muttered. He glanced at me, at my tense body, and nodded, for once agreeing to help cook since the birthday party months ago. It wasn't how most people offered help, sure, but it worked.

We made it as fast as we could. Antonio and Lillian's had lowered now. Nick came in, grabbing for me, his head sinking into my hair as he inhaled long and deep, his breathing ragged. Clay's hand found Nick's shoulder as he stood there, shaking against me, not crying but... there was a lot going on inside of him.

"She found us." He said, quietly, not lifting his head.

"I know."

He stood there as I slid it into the microwave and I turned around to wrap my arms around him. Then Clay, I dragged him into it, even if he scowled. Nick needed pack support right now.

"Dad's having trouble explaining. He said I had a rare genetic condition and ...he wanted to spare her." He added, quieter, lips brushing against my shoulder. "He isn't telling her that he never got over her."

"She can't know what it is." Clay said quietly. "You know that."

"Why? She's my mother." Nick's head swung up and he growled low, arms around me harder suddenly. He blinked and tried to let go of the anger, tried to smile. "I guess ...this is a good thing."

"Of course it is. You wanted to meet her." I reached up to stroke his face, gentle, running my fingers along his neck. Trying to comfort him. I kissed him gently, tenderly, a shudder going down his back at the contact, leaning into the kiss harder as he grasped onto me as if he was drowning.

"Nick?"

Lillian flushed when he turned around. She glanced at me, looking overwhelmed. "I'm sorry. I just ...where's the bathroom?"

"I'll show you." I said, leaving Nick. "Get the lunch out when it's done. It won't be long."

I led her down the hallway and she glanced around, unsure. This wasn't really a homely home.

"We're just renting for now." I explained softly. "We have a house in New York."

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I ... didn't mean to turn up like this."

"Antonio was very sick. I suppose somehow you knew that." I replied quietly. She stared at me.

"Very sick?"

"For weeks and weeks. He spent the entire time having nightmares about you. I don't know a lot about that stuff, dream and stuff, but he did call for you a lot."

"Wait here for me, please." She went quiet, slipping past me into the bathroom, and it took her a while to return. When she did, her face was blotchy, and I offered her a towel to wash her face.

"Fifty years." She breathed, as she washed her face, eyes avoiding mine as I waited patiently. her arms shaking. "Nick looks so young. Antonio too."

"I know." I smiled somewhat at that.

Lillian caught her reflection, reaching up to touch her face, as if she'd never seen it before. The wrinkles, her face, the lines, the grey line where the hair dye had not covered. "I look like an old crone."

"No one here thinks that." I replied quietly.

Nick came then, that same shy look back again, hesitating. Lillian caught sight of him, her face going red, lips twisting in that pained expression. "I missed so much of your life. You're married now."

"Two and a half years." Nick said quietly, holding a hand out for me, but he couldn't stop staring at her. His nostrils kept flaring. I wondered what she smelt like to him. "I ...don't think you look old."

Lily was back again, suddenly, Matt chasing her, calling her. Lillian stared down at the toddler as she ducked under our legs and into the safety of the bathroom from Matt, finding the cupboard as if she knew exactly where not to go, trying to yank it open.

"Lily?" She asked, quietly, as Lily stared up at her. She'd only just realised the strange woman was there again.

"Dad wanted to name her Lily." Nick answered. His hand tightened around my hand, then, sudden, "Please. Now that you know where I am. You don't have to vanish. I'd like it if ...if you knew me. And them."

"Antonio may not want that." Lillian said quietly. She hesitated when Lily tried to get up her, Lily was trying to climb, and reached down to pick Lily up. Only she, out of the three, would try it with a stranger. "You have three toddlers?"

"Triplets." I replied. "This is my nephew." I reached out for Matt, who was behind us, taking in Lillian with that wary expression he got around strangers. He slid against my back, peering around at her. "He's a little shy around new people."

"You have the same eyes." Nick said, quietly, as he stared at his mother and his daughter together. "Lily and Lily."

"She has eyes like my grand daughter. My other one." She tried to smile but she was quickly looking overwhelmed again. "I think I might head back to the hotel after lunch. I need... I need to think."

"We'll take you back and leave you with our contact details." I promised. "Come and have something to eat first."

Antonio hadn't moved when we came into the living room, the lunch set out, his head in his hands. He sat up fast when he heard us coming, trying to smile, but he was still pale. I reached out for him and he jumped, staring at me, then to Lillian. She didn't speak a word to him, only asking Nick about his life, about his family, his work. Antonio didn't seem to want to speak either. I wondered if I'd done the right thing after all, pushing him to do this, and even Nick seemed to struggle. For the first time I'd known him, probably in his entire life, he seemed to not know what to say or do with a woman.

This just made Lillian try harder with him. She showed him her other children, told him about them, and the grand kids. Two boys and a girl. Her husband had died the year before but had alzheimers years before that. Lillian had gone on the tour on the insistence of her children after spending years caring for him till he had to go into a nursing home for special care.

She tried to ask Nick about Antonio, without being obvious, as we drove her back to the hotel. Lillian seemed surprise that he'd had no other women, not even girlfriends, really surprised. He must have been good looking younger. He was good looking now.

"Promise you'll call." I said, as I went in with her, and she turned to me.

"Do you think they want that?" Lillian asked. The frown line was back. She looked exhausted. "I don't know. I haven't even told my kids about Nick. I was just a girl when I had him." She added, quieter, "He didn't even look at me. Not really. He seemed awkward about it. Antonio didn't look at me either." She tried to smile, tried to look okay with this, but that hurt hadn't gone. Years of hurt. I couldn't imagine how it felt, to be betrayed by someone you loved, and then hurt that badly. Then to find them again. Did that kind of love go away? I knew it wouldn't with Nick. If he vanished for that long... it'd still be there when he came back. That horrible tormenting love. I could marry, I could love, but nothing like this.

I glanced at the car where Nick was. He was watching her, I knew he was listening, and I saw his shoulders stiffen slightly.

"He wants that. Nick does. I want you to know your grand kids." I replied quietly, my voice lower.. "We do want you in our lives. He's just not used to a woman he can't flirt with. It's going to take him time to figure that out."

"I will think about it. It's too much to take in. It's just-" She stared at Nick in the car. "He's so big. So tall. So grown up. And he doesn't look fifty."

"I know."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty ei, I mean nine. Twenty nine." At her look I shrugged, my own smile increasing somewhat. "He doesn't look like he's in his fifties. By the time I knew I was already engaged to him."

We went quiet, standing in the hotel's lobby, as she watched her son with the hungry eyes. Like she couldn't stand to leave just yet, couldn't stop staring, she just needed to watch a little longer before she tore her eyes off him.

"Did you marry because you were pregnant?" I blinked and she smiled a small smile. "Sorry. Maybe that's old fashioned these days."

"I was pregnant when we married but we only found out the morning of the wedding." I admitted and she smiled a little wider. "They were a bit of a surprise. We didn't even know I was pregnant with triplets. Lily and Susie were big and Dominic hid behind them till I was giving birth."

"Really?" She laughed then, Nick's head twisting, as if he was trying to catch the sound. "That would be a shock."

"Nick was supposed to catch them, he had the shock, seeing Lily halfway out. It was a home birth too. Two girls come out, we think it's done, then Dominic comes out." I smiled a little at the memory. It hadn't been funny at all at the time but now it was. "Feet first. Lucky his sisters were large."

"Nick came out feet first." Lillian sat down on a seat, flopping, fanning herself a little. The porter was quick to come over to her. "Can you get me a glass of wi- I mean, water?" He nodded and headed off. The second he did, she sat up straighter, stopped fanning herself and got that same cheeky look Nick got when he used his flirting skills to get what he wanted. "They always like to help the old ladies."

"If Antonio and Nick have shown me anything, you're only as old as you feel." I muttered and she nodded, relaxing somewhat now.

"Antonio might not want me to interfere now." She said, quietly, once she'd gotten the water and drank half of it. Her blue eyes met mine.

"I think he always wanted you to interfere. Every day. His family was-" I didn't finish. It felt like it wasn't my place. Antonio had to decide if he wanted to push to reunite with her.

"I know. We hid from them all the time as teenagers. I think I'm going to head upstairs and open that bottle of wine early. I have all your contact details."

"Here." I opened my own wallet and gave her the photo of the triplets and Nick. "You're his mother. If it was Dominic then I... I'd be trying to interfere all the time."

"Thank you."

Nick was waiting when I came back. I slid into the front seat beside him, the two of us glancing back to see Lillian going into the elevator, and then he pulled out with a long drawn out sigh, one hand coming across to grasp mine.

We didn't talk. He drove through the town, one hand in mine, and out into the desert-like surroundings. Nick's eyes kept on the road as he drove and it was only when we'd found a small dirt road that he pulled off onto it, drove a few hundred metres around the bend and out of sight of the main road, and pulled over.

He got out and got into the back seat, eyes searching for mine, but I was already crawling into the back seat. No need to get out of the car. Nick's lips twitched as he got back in and tugged me into his lap, kissing me hard, hands tangling in my hair, while I climbed on top of him. He was desperate, confused, even a little upset and had been denied sex for weeks. He hitched up my skirt, mouth bruising mine, before twisting around and pushing me onto my back on the back seat, trying to free my breasts with one hand, the other undoing his pants.

"Let me do that." I reached up to tug my top off, throwing it to one side, figuring that if someone came along the blanket wasn't too far. He paused as he gazed down at me, the hunger gone for just a second as he took in the sight of what was his, and then slid his pants down his hips.

Nick was in me in a second, pushing the panties to one side, a shuddering groan as he nearly came then and there. I laughed, and he bit my neck, content to lie on top of me for a moment as my arms wrapped around him.

"Mine." He growled softly against my neck, possessive, his thighs trembling between mine. Nick's nostrils flared as he smelt my answering lust for him. Who said lust was a bad thing when with the right person? When I pretended to slide back he grabbed my hips, yanking me hard against him, the shock of his body forcing me open only adding to my own building desire for him. Nick grinned, started to move hard against me, as I nipped his neck hard enough to leave bruises. "Tease."

"Only for you." I nipped one earlobe and he breathed out, long and slow against my neck, as he started to move slower, gentle, trying to make it last as long as he could, though both of our bodies were so deprived of each other it was just minutes before I cried out against his neck, the pleasure and relief to have this intimacy back again mingling, and Nick sped up till he was joining me, his body collapsing down onto mine.

He didn't move for a while, embedded inside me, but when I reached under me to yank a seat belt from under me, Nick seemed to snap out of it and slid up, pulling me into his lap, arms tight and the tension from earlier gone.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." He muttered against my neck. "I think so. Dad was pretty upset."

"It was either tell her about you now or dump her in town. He was going to be upset either way." I stroked his hair gently, fingers scraping against his scalp, watching the pleasure it brought him in his face.

"Guess that's true. She really dreamed about him?"

I nodded and his arms squeezed harder around me at that, unable to speak, the two of us sitting there in the back seat as Nick tried to deal with what'd just happened.

"I have brothers and sisters."

"I heard."

"And two nephews, and a niece."

"Yeah."

"They don't know about me." He muttered, quieter. "She didn't tell them."

"She was pretty young and it was when girls didn't do that." I didn't need to say it, he knew that, but he snuggled me and kissed my neck anyway, my mouth against his skin, the sweat salty against my tongue, his skin warm in the warm car. "I'm sure she wanted to."

"I never really thought about how it'd have hurt her. To loose me and Dad like that. But now, if you vanished with the babies..." He went quiet. "Dad _had_ to do it."

"He did have to then. Things are different now." I leaned against the seat behind me, letting him have access to my chest, still covered with the blue bra he'd bought me once. "There they are. Your girls. Still here for you."

"They are." Nick leaned forward into my chest, nuzzling it, amusement in his face. Amusement and ...love. I realised, when he looked up at me, how much I had missed that look. Since the honeymoon, he'd given me a lot of looks, but this one? It had been rare. "You're here for me. Still."

"Always here for you."

"You are, aren't you?" He lifted his head up to me. "I think I chose a good mate."

"I chose you. Lured you in with tears." I teased. "You got the bait and got me."

"Lucky me." He laughed softly and unclasped my bra- the blue bra having a front clasp- cupping my breasts with his hands as he stroked against them lovingly. When Nick had undone his own shirt he pulled me closer, hugging me against him with my bare chest, my head tucking into the spot under his chin. "I didn't even know how to behave with her. How do you act around a mom?"

"I don't know. You just start to do it naturally."

"That's if she ever wants to see me again." Nick muttered.

"I think she does. It's just a lot for her. We've got time." I reassured him, letting him snuggle me, his eyes shut as he ran his hands down my bare back under the fabric.

"I want to go for a run. Tonight. With you only." He muttered against my head.

"Okay." Elena might let us tonight, after this, she'd be a little more forgiving towards him. Hopefully. "Clay will probably stick up for us but you'll have to ask."

"He's probably already told her. Want to head back for some dinner first?"

"We're in town. We'll get some dinner. Call in sick for work. Go out after for a nice run." I smiled as he laughed softly against my chest.

"Is it selfish to not want to see Dad right now?"

"You can talk to him in the morning. He has Jeremy so he's not sitting alone in the living room." Even as I said it, I felt afraid that he was, and made a mental reminder to tell Clay to check that. If he was then he'd have to go to the factory where Jeremy was. I wasn't going to let him go through the shock alone either. "I'll make sure he's not alone."

Nick called up while we sat there on the side of the road and I wasn't wrong about Clay sticking up for Nick. Elena didn't expect us back that night and Antonio had been taken to the factory to spend the night with Jeremy. He claimed he was okay, he was fine, but …tough. She just needed to make sure I wasn't going to leave Nick alone and she could cope with the night shift. Most of them were sedated anyway or asleep.

Nick re-dressed me and we went out for BBQ chicken again, roast vegetables, some drinks, including a few bottles of beer and cider for me, getting enough for two extra people, then went out into the desert to sit under the stars and eat together on a blanket. It was simple and relaxing, lying there side by side, trying to eat and watch the stars together, drinking the alcohol and the coke, letting the day's shock sink back into the back of our minds.

"I still don't know what to tell her." Nick admitted, our hands up as our fingers entwined and loosened, over and over, palms brushing, teasing each other with the slight contact.

"Just go with the truth."

"I stalked her, I knew she had kids, I knew where she lived, and I didn't go near her?" He drank the beer, another deep gulp. "She might not take that well."

"Why'd you do that?"

"I didn't know if she wanted me there. You know that. She seemed happy." He shrugged, thumb running up the side of my hand, our eyes still on the sky.

"So tell her that. You knew where she was and sometimes went to see her in the playground but you thought she was happy without you. That it was easier for her."

"Yeah." He muttered. "I didn't know her husband was sick."

We went quiet, watching the stars, finishing off the food. When it was all gone we changed and wandered around side by side, nibbling and playing with each other in the isolated place, shoulders brushing as we explored the strange landscape, the smell of Nick filling me like a drug- a smell I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. We teased some small mammals hiding in the sand, chased each other around the place, nipping tails and pouncing on each other, and when we changed back, we made love on the blanket under the stars, rolling and growling and nipping each other with the same playfulness as we made love over and over and over, with the same intense joy of being alive and being near each other, and it was already sunrise before we got tired and fell asleep against each other.

Nick got me up, I grumbled as we dressed, the early morning sun not as hot as it might have been in summer, but he'd spotted something I hadn't. The police or sheriff or whatever they called him out here had found our car and was wandering on over.

"You kids slept out here?" He asked, amused as I hurriedly pulled on my shirt.

Kids was an amusing way to describe Nick, as they were probably the same age, but Nick nodded and grinned, brushing sand out of his hair.

"We're going home now." I smiled sheepishly as I tried to gather the stuff in the blanket so we could just lift it all up at once. Nick wasn't as stressed about dressing fast as I was, he was still zipping up his pants. "Night off from the kids."

"You're married?" That made the sheriff relax a little. It amused me too, that automatic connection, because in the city kids didn't automatically mean marriage. It was apparently the same in all county places- a little more conservative. He still glanced at our hands though, just in case, looking for the rings. "Glad to hear that. Australian too, no wonder why you're not afraid of snakes, but you need to watch out. They could be anywhere."

I followed Nick's gaze to a rock ten metres away and hid my smile. There was a snake over there, relaxing in the sunlight, ignoring us.

"Will do." Nick lifted up the blanket. "Thanks for the warning. Come on, darling." He held out one hand, the blanket over a shoulder like Santa's sack, and I took it and let him lead me back to the car. He was much more relaxed now than he had been before.

We showered and changed at the house, giggling as we stumbled a little, exhausted and having trouble walking. A night of sex, after only quickies here and there, and our bodies were clearly not used to it. Then he dropped me off at 'work' and headed home to work with his dad from there.

It was back to work. Lillian spent two days before she contacted Nick again and Antonio. Apparently, she'd never married Anthony, and had never annulled the marriage to Antonio. Nick didn't tell his father this, that he was still married to her, but he seemed a little more relaxed with her. They went out for lunch together with the toddlers while I worked as a 'nurse' several times, Nick brought photos. He called me at one point, startled, because she'd burst into tears when he told her that he'd always watched her, but he thought she was happy. Apparently she'd grabbed him and hugged him so hard that he wondered if she was a werewolf after all... blubbering about how much she loved him, and how she didn't go a day without wondering about him. I told him to go back in there and stop talking to me about it. He was apparently invited to go on a day trip with her on the wild flower tour. She wanted him to spend the day with her.

Some of the mutts started to wake, the first ones that'd come in, one by one. I wasn't sure if they were shocked or scared to wake and find both Elena and Jeremy as part of the 'nurses' working there. Elena, the current alpha, and Jeremy as the former alpha … or maybe it was the cages that scared them. The second they could walk Elena told them to pack up and go. She made the mutts outside in tents move on too, when they'd approached Vi expecting the same thing they got from Daniella, and Elena made it clear that they weren't welcome any more. Daniella had the freedom to choose her partner, or partners, but they would not be getting the right to abuse or harass anyone against their will.

I sat there, watching the mutts, several close to the end of the fever now, when I realised that one of them wasn't moving. Not even his chest.

"Vi!" I called, getting up. I had just checked him. She rushed down, as Reece prodded her in the office, as I headed over to the mutt. He wasn't breathing. Nothing we could do could bring him back, nothing at all, and it'd been so fast. One second he'd been more or less all right, a bit feverish, the next... gone.

That was bad enough, seeing one die when we'd really tried hard to keep them alive, but it got worse when the Cabal came to take him away. To the basement freezers. It was only then that we found out that he wasn't the first to die in the factory and that the basement wasn't just a lab again... it was also a morgue again. The freezers were back in operation.

He was the first of them to die since Tyler. It was then, only when the Cabal came to take him away, that he wasn't the first to die in here. Several sorcerers had already died and they'd 'forgotten' to tell us. The freezers downstairs were back in use.

Daniella stopped talking when the mutts were gone. Not to us, not to the patients, she just stopped. She would go out into town overnight, and Reece followed her from a distance, coming back looking torn up every time, till I was tempted to tell him to stay. He only stayed if Elena stayed overnight- he had to protect her when she was at the factory- but that never helped either.

At last, the twenty mutts that started to come in got well, or they died, one by one, coming out of it and being sent away as soon as they could walk. The deaths were hard at first but by the third, some part of me shut down, refusing to feel it. The alive ones were pretty shocked, it seemed, to have the alpha herself as apart of the effort to keep them alive. Or maybe they were shocked in general that the pack wasn't killing them. I wasn't sure. For some of them, it seemed to change the way they viewed us for te better, which was interesting to see. Others, it pissed them off. Or they assumed we were weak and looked at us like we were mad.

Five were gone, two dead, three on a bus back to the different cities they came from, after two weeks of nursing them back to health. It was strange. I'd started to feel strange again, dizzy, almost nauseous, and for a heart stopping second, thought I was pregnant. But the test was negative. Vi thought it was a lack of good food and made me eat more, even as I started to loose weight, and Nick didn't seem to know what it was either. But he'd been acting funny too.

I almost fainted at one point, as I was carting the washing out to the shed again, having to drop it on the ground and sit against the side of the building for a while to breathe. It was like I couldn't breathe, it was the strangest sense, like I was sick all over again. I'd have to go get another test again, or get Vi to check it out again.

A car pulled up, I ignored it, it was more or less time for Daniella to go to the house for a rest, but it wasn't Jeremy. It was _Lillian _and_ Antonio_. Antonio got out, pulling someone out with him, someone with olive skin that was drained of all blood, eyes rolled back, skin slick with sweat, his chest rising and falling with every sharp shallow breath. Lillian was there in a second, moving so fast that she skidded, grabbing for the other arm, her own face pale with shock. The second Antonio's eyes met mine, the fear there, I knew. I didn't need to ask.

Nick was sick.

* * *

><p>The world collapsed.<p>

I panicked. I panicked, anxiety attack swallowing me up whole, and the world vanished as the panic flooded into me. No time for coping mechanisms, no time for breathing techniques, the faces of the corpses from the past few weeks flooded my head, Nick's face with them, and the world collapsed. It shattered. Nothing existed, except fear for Nick, and for the babies, and...

I had already started to change before Antonio noticed, but Lillian noticed, and she froze, horrified. Some part of my brain, the human part, it knew she was watching and tried to stop it, but no amount of pain, no amount of horror at what I was doing in plain sight of the world could stop it. The second I had changed, I was shaking the clothing loose and gone. Sand, panic, grief. Some part of me was sure he was dying.

At some point between trying to rip the clothing free the wolf took over. I was briefly aware of things, here and there, of Reece's scent, Nick's scent, so sick, so damn sick, and standing over him, refusing to let anyone come near. He was ...human? Wolf? It made no sense, the need to protect him was overwhelming my need to get him inside, but he was _mine_ and no one was harming him. _No one._ Other memories of being dragged, and biting, and fighting, and the human shielding the human woman from me and...

I woke in the car, seats torn up, my head and body aching, my own blood on the windows where I must have tried to smash out. I had scratches and tears and bruises all over me, teeth marks in my arm, and a big blonde wolf was standing guard outside the car, muddy paw prints on the outside of the windows. I had vague memories of trying to smash my way out of the windows, get back to my mate, only to have Clayton pop up, growling, snapping at any part of me that exited the car, refusing to let me leave.

Groaning, I shut my eyes, shaking, the fear still in the back of my mind. But if Clayton was here then he wouldn't let Nick die. He would protect him too. I tried to reassure myself that, reassure the wolf that was pacing around in the back of my head,

A sudden thump made me jump, my eyes flying open to see giant paws on the window, Clayton's head sticking through the shattered glass. With a snort, he stared at me, shaking his head, clearly annoyed. Then he jumped back and I heard him leave, the sound of broken glass under his paws, and it wasn't long before Reece came out and carefully unlocked the door.

"You okay now?"

I nodded, he cringed as he stared at the state of my body, and reached in to brush the glass out of my way so I could get out. Reece lifted me up, standing me so my feet were on the top of the boots I'd bought him, wrapping a blanket around my back very carefully before he lifted me back up.

"Nick?" I croaked, throat dry, and I wondered if I'd been howling. Maybe I had been.

"Safe inside. You really snapped." He smiled somewhat, a tense smile, and I felt guilt. Shit. I'd stopped them from helping Nick.

"I was ..."

"Upset. I understand. Vi is waiting to patch you up. Nick's in the storage room with his mother."

"Oh shit." I groaned, hiding my head against Reece's throat, as he chuckled.

"Don't feel too bad. Antonio got to protect her. It was very romantic. Then he got to explain things to her."

"_Shit_." Elena and Jeremy were going to kill me.

Vi had him sit me down and she worked quickly, as I shifted restlessly, eyes on the closed door to the storage room. I hadn't lost control like that for years and felt awful.

"Did I make it worse?" I finally asked, as she tried to stitch up a cut from the window on my hands. "Did I make him worse?"

"No. It was raining. The rain kept him cool." Vi replied, matter of factly. "You were cleaning his cut, even though it had healed, and kept everyone away."

"Is it the disease?"

"Yes."

My heart sank at that and she stroked my face, gentle, a rare show of affection from her, before she returned to the wound.

"He has many to watch him and we have experience. It could be worse."

She let me up only when I'd dressed, as it was cold now, and when I went in I wondered if she had been lying after all. Nick looked terrible. I didn't understand how, when he'd looked fine that morning, he'd suddenly looked like this. Antonio was standing against a wall, arms crossed, Lillian holding Nick's hand. Jamie was gone.

She stared at me with that fear that she'd had, but when Antonio came over to hug me, Lillian tried to relax too.

"It's okay." Antonio murmured against my ear, arms tight, but he was shaking.

"How much does she know now?" I asked, soft against his ear.

"Nick changed when you did. Both of you panicked. She knows everything." He answered, standing back, and wrapped an arm around me. "This is Elizabeth Anne. We call her Anne. She was bitten three years ago."

Three years. So long already? Lillian stood up, slowly, still pale, trembling. But when I didn't freak out she reached out to grasp my hands, squeezing.

"I'm sorry if I scared you." I tried to smile, but my eyes kept going to Nick, sheepishness mixed with the fear.

"Antonio explained. You do it when you're afraid." She was afraid. I knew that from the way she looked at me. But she wasn't angry with me either.

"Not every time. It was a shock. The babies." My head swung up, sudden, to Antonio.

"Elena is caring for them. Clayton will be heading back now to guard them. Everything is taken care of. Here." He lifted up a chair and placed it on Nick's other side for me. "Sit with him a while. Vi is adjusting your shifts so you can spend time here."

I sat down and stared at Nick. "How can he be so sick suddenly?"

"It wasn't sudden." Antonio's voice got dry. He tugged something out of his pocket and tossed it to me.

I held it up and blinked. Foundation? Nick had been wearing makeup? "He was ..."

"Hiding it."

I suddenly understood why I'd felt sick. I hadn't even thought about it. I shoved the bottle on the ground and took Nick's hand. It was clammy in mine, lifeless, damp, not curling around mine like it usually would while he was asleep. "He feels cold."

"We just gave him a bath." Antonio informed me as I stared at the hand. "It's all right."

I focused on Nick's breathing, watching the chest rise and fall, reaching out to feel for his heart. He was alive, he was breathing, and he was there. He'd just gotten into the part of the disease where he wasn't aware anymore.

Something cold trickled down my neck and I glanced back to see Antonio gently wiping away blood off my neck and shoulder, his concern as much for me as it was for Nick, parting hair so he could get at the cut on the side of my head.

"How did you get me into the car?"

"Reece and Clayton and a little lure. Lily. You were very upset with Clayton for that. Chased him right into the car, we locked you inside, and Lily loved every second of it." He laughed softly. "Clay almost got his behind bitten off though for handling your puppy."

"Stupid." I would have been livid at that. I wasn't angry at them for using her- she was the bravest and I wouldn't have hurt her. If I got her, she would have been right beside Nick, and I would have guarded them both. But I wasn't so sure about what I'd do to anyone handling her even if it was Clayton.

"We wanted to get Nick inside so you could calm down and he could change back." Antonio continued to clean my skin, even if he didn't need to, the motion calming. He knew it calmed me. I reached up to grasp his hand, squeezing it, aware that I wasn't the only one terrified in here about what sickness meant for him.

"Can we take him back to the house?" I told him, quietly, the other still grasped onto Nick's hand. "The babies need me."

"We'll take turns. You spent some nights here and some days there." Antonio replied quietly. "This may take a while and the house is too crowded."

He was right.

"Where's Jamie?"

"Well enough to go back to the house. Jeremy took her back. She isn't sure how it's affecting her yet." Antonio replied quietly, eyes going up to Lillian as she seemed to flinch. "Lily, come with me. We'll go back to the house today, Anne, Elena's got to discuss things with Lillian."

Lillian didn't argue. She stood up and followed him outside, leaving the two of us alone, Nick completely unaware of my presence.

The clammy cold hand warmed up as the hours ticked by, his heat returning, the restless sleep coming back. It was amazing how, when nursing so many mutts, they were predictable. Time flew. I knew what to do and had no emotional concern. But with Nick, even if I had seen this disease play out over and over, even if I'd seen others do the exact same things he was doing right now, nothing was predictable for me. Every heave of his chest, every groan, every flinch of his hand against mine, it all scared the crap out of me.

Maybe it was the suddenness of it. The guilt that I hadn't noticed. We collapsed into bed after getting the toddlers calmed down and asleep, which sometimes took hours, we slept, then I had to get up and go for the day. Nick didn't mention being sick but it did explain why he'd struggled with the toddlers more. I hadn't even thought about it.

I fell asleep beside him, head in the bed, not able to nurse any more than I had been able to think earlier. Vi came in and out, every now and then, probably realising that I wasn't in any state to care for him unless she was giving orders. Sometimes she did and I'd get up, doing it numbly, changing his clothing, 'bathing' him with a cloth, getting him to drink, but I barely thought about what or why I was doing it. She told me to and she was a professional health care worker.

This became a new routine. Nick. It was all about him and the toddlers, just them, and I stumbled home to love them all over, or to go to the factory to spend time with him, not caring that it was the factory I'd been bitten in, only that it was where he had to heal. Suddenly, although I cared about Reece, his issue with Daniella faded into the back of my mind. Antonio and Lillian faded into the back of my mind. All of it. It was too much to cope with on top of this paralysing fear that Nick was going to die here.

I was barely aware of time passing now. Instead it was dark or light, not days, and sometimes it rained. Sometimes it snowed. It was like the grief I'd felt after my parent's funeral, blanketing me from the world, except I had to move now. I had to do things. Wash sheets. Love babies. Feed people. Care for Nick. Smile sometimes. Programming in my mind that only got skin deep and underneath I churned with fear that no one could snap me out of. Only Ana seemed to notice, when she called, and it was difficult when she asked probing questions. For a thirteen year old she was incredibly observant.

When he'd collapsed, it had been with Lillian and Antonio there, I'd found that much out. She had been going back home and wanted a lunch with him and the babies. Antonio had to be there too, so there was one baby for each adult, or that had been Nick's excuse. I suspected he was trying to get them to spend time with each other again. They'd been at the house so getting here hadn't been a problem.

Whatever plans the older woman had made to return home must have been cancelled- I saw her every day. She was as afraid as I was, I felt it, afraid that he was going to die before she got to know him. We spoke about our life together, Nick and myself, I told her things, and told her what he'd told me about his earlier life. That was when things were good.

When things were bad, even Vi struggled to come inside. Whatever Nick felt in his fevers, whatever panic he had during his nightmares, I shared it completely and utterly, sometimes to the point of Vi restraining me too, because when he thrashed or kicked I felt panic so vividly that I panicked too. When he changed, I changed, the two of us shut into the storage room. I didn't remember much of that, except for being curled up beside Nick's warm fur, the two of us leaning against each other as he whined. I'd wake curled up on the ground beside the bed, a blanket across me, Nick back on the bed as Vi took care of him with the unsympathetic efficacy of a trained nurse who had no bedside manner whatsoever. She would have been an incredible pair with Vi right now- Vi was all heart, all empathy, and I could picture the two of them in nursing school. Like good nurse, bad nurse, working together like they were made to be partners.

Finally I had to snap out of it somewhat when I started to get high fevers too, trying to withdraw myself from Nick's suffering, because it made it impossible to care for the babies. He was not going to be helped if I got sick again.

The amusing thing that snapped me out of it was that the toddlers were starting to potty train. I had expected this to be a difficult thing but they were fascinated with Matt, Logan and Kate, and would follow them into the bathroom. Or one of us adults. When they understood what we were doing, they tried to do it too, trying to climb up. Antonio got them a seat they could sit on. Once Susie got the hang of it, telling us she wanted to go, the other two copied her fast. They had accidents at night but …

It was almost over. The nappies were almost over.

The girls also started to notice that Dominic looked different from them and started to ask everyone they met if they had a penis too. Not in those exact words, it was usually a query like 'Penis?' as they'd gesture at some poor random person. Usually pack but on the days I was with them and we had to go to town, it could be a stranger too. Even with Nick so sick, and the fear so strong, these babies could never fail to amuse me or impress me. Or if that failed, anger me, because they were good with tantrums. No one was more of an expert at being angry than these three when they worked together.

I sat with them in the living room, Dumbo on the TV, as they drew and watched the movie. The silvery blonde hair that Lily and Susie had months before at their second birthday was darkening so fast at the roots that it almost looked like I'd dyed it. It was already a golden blonde now, at the roots, and I wondered if they'd end up brunettes like their dad and grandfather. Lillian had once had a golden brown hair, she told me, so maybe they'd end up with that.

No one else was home. Clayton and Elena had given in and agreed to take the kids out exploring the desert. Apparently they'd all been asking the entire time they'd been here, having never seen it before, and he hadn't wanted to leave the toddlers unprotected. The Cabal scientists still came, from time to time, but with me here and somewhat more lucid than usual, he'd given in. Lucas had gone to New York to be with Paige.

I heard the doorbell and left the kids in to play with the TV. When I opened the door, it was an unexpected face, one that made me want to slam the door.

It was the ex-alpha's father with two doctors. Demetruis.

He didn't really need to do much more than raise his hand, shoving me back, the force of a spell knocking me into a seat and holding me there.

"Make us a cup of coffee as I talk with Elizabeth, will you?" He asked pleasantly, the first time I heard his voice in person, the distinctive accent from somewhere in Europe. Greek, maybe. I wasn't sure. If I didn't know better from the conversation on the phone with his son or the spell he'd just used to pin me down, I might have thought he really was a nice older man. He had a walking stick, though he walked upright perfectly, salt and pepper hair, a dignified face with dark grey eyes and wrinkles that were only slight shadows on his face. A tailored suit added to the effect.

Demetruis sat down, and I was aware suddenly with horror that I was alone here with the toddlers. I heard them start to cry and protest as they were picked up behind me.

"Into a bedroom." He ordered, and I couldn't move, just sat there frozen and helpless as I heard them cry, afraid of the strangers suddenly, as they were carted away. A door was shut and their cries, breaking my heart now, cut off. "We have to discuss something without interruption. I have a proposition for you. An offer I doubt you'll refuse."

"Try me."

"I am not young and I require an heir. My sons were weak. If you carry one for me, I will offer something in exchange that you need."

"If you think I'm going to do it, you're wrong. Your son told me it was your idea to rape me." I bared my teeth at him as he shook his head, daring him to deny it. I'd seen the video footage of it. "I saw the video."

"My son told me that you'd agreed to this in exchange for him leaving the country. I had no way to know he was lying. I apologise for the misunderstanding. But now I do require a heir." Demetruis waved it off with a hand, as if it was nothing, as if forcing a woman to carry another man's child was _nothing_. "And you need something in return that I possess"

"So find a woman and do it the normal way. You've got nothing I need."

"I have the cure for the disease. For all werewolves." He flashed me an easy smile, but there was a hint of malice. "I require your genetics. You are a proven carrier, your fertility proven after such a quick conception, you are one of only a few female werewolves and the only one in America besides the Alpha who can carry a child. Daniella and Vi, as you call her, both are unable to carry children." His words shocked me. I didn't know that Vi wasn't able to carry a child. "You also show strength and a cruelty that I admire. Your punishment of my son was exactly what I'd expect from you. I would prefer your Alpha, naturally, but she would be difficult and it would cause problems I do not have the patience to deal with. Your mate is currently out of my hair and will be for some time."

His praise made my blood run cold, so cold, so uncaring about his own flesh and blood, admiring me for harming _his child_. "He was unable to feel what I did."

"Never the less, highly appropriate, and he was too weak to resist your punishment." He shrugged it off. "I offer you the cure in exchange for a child. Your pack will receive the cure, ready made, and will also receive the information required to create more should they decide to offer it or use it on the mutts to establish power."

"You're a mutt." I reminded him.

Demetruis shrugged. "I was bitten and I do possess the gifts, yes, but I was born and raised a sorcerer. But my child, whether I like it or not, will be a werewolf with my sorcerer blood. I believe that if his parents are both bitten, then he will be stronger."

"And if he's not? Or it's a daughter?" The questions came out before I could stop them. Surely I wasn't actually considering this? The offer sickened me.

"I am too old to be fussy. He or she will be." His voice had a note of finality that again chilled me. It was the 'or else' tone. "I require a heir. I do not care about the gender."

"No."

Demetruis shrugged lightly. "I do not expect to leave without your agreement. You misunderstand- this is not an offer that you are able to refuse. If you do, I will give the cure to the mutts instead. Your pack will not be offered the cure. You know exactly what will happen if your pack is weak and they are not."

Demetruis didn't elaborate. He didn't have to. Horror at this filled me. If the mutts regained their strength and the pack didn't, however grateful some of them were, we were more or less fucked. Elena would be helpless. Only Jeremy and Reece were well. Karl, we weren't sure, Hope had taken him on herself. The pack would be mowed down, the men probably killed, and as we were all weakened, all us women, I knew what would await us. Matt would probably be killed or brainwashed, my daughters raped when they started their changes, and what about my son? Nick?

They'd kill them. Kill them so fast that even the Russian pack couldn't get here fast enough to assist.

Maybe it was too dramatic, what I was thinking, but deep down I knew what kind of disaster it'd be for us if the balance of power shifted. Under Jeremy and now Elena, things had reached a fairness, a kind of balance that worked. If the mutts that resented us or suspected us of creating the disease had the power...

"You wouldn't."

"Yes, I would." He wasn't smiling now. He was deadly serious. "I am not a patient man but this option would allow me to rent Elena's womb from the mutts who take over your pack. This is a tempting alternative that I would almost be willing to wait a few months for. But I am aware that should this happen, I may have to wait longer, if Elena is first made pregnant by another mutt. I prefer directly offering you the choice first."

Rent Elena's womb. Like it was a car. Or a house. It made me want to be sick, this threat, his pleasantry gone. I had no choice, in other words, I gave him the baby or he screwed us all over.

"I am willing to offer your pack the cure instead, if you carry the heir quietly and without informing them of the father. I have no loyalty to either mutt or pack. I am not above playing one side against the other though."

"I don't want to have sex with you." I snapped. The words were out.

"No need to go that far. My son, during his time with you, collected various things from you and his other bitten women. I already have your eggs. If you are not already implanted with my child-" This made no sense to me, I hadn't seen him for months, "-then I will simply place embryos inside your womb. You will come every week to be tested and when pregnant will keep quiet about this. I will come when you go into labour and take the heir, and return you safe and sound."

For a long time I didn't answer. I could hear the toddlers crying in the bedroom, crying out for me, trying to get me to come running like I always did. What could I do? Risk my pack? I was alone, I was helpless right now, and ...I didn't know what else to do. "How can I know you're not lying?"

Demetruis smiled then. He knew I had no choice but to accept for the pack's sake. Knew I'd do anything to protect them. The pleasant smile was back. "I will cure you first. Now, in fact, as a show of faith and trust."

I hadn't seen the doctors come back. One offered him a coffee, the other at my side, lifting a syringe.

"We will inject you with the cure and a sedative. You will be unaware of the tests done, will not suffer, and I will ensure that you are cared for to the highest standards." He was cold, but he focused on me with a look. I knew he wasn't lying. "The carrier of my child will not suffer. You will receive money, you will be cared for, and I will have your entire pack guarded until the cure is offered to every member. If you agree, you will be treated as an ally, and I do not betray my allies. If you tell anyone if this agreement, if you betray me, I will do likewise and will not hesitate to destroy your pack and force you to full term myself. Do you understand?"

I nodded, weak, as the spell lifted and my body could move.

"Do you agree?"

"What about the babies?"

"I will send a message from your phone informing them that you are in a change and that someone has to come back. We will undress you, rip your clothing and remove our scents from the room. You will be gone for several days but the children will survive the fifteen minutes it takes for help to come. Do you agree to the terms?"

I nodded again, a fraction of the head, and he shook his head. "No, say it. Say I agree to carry your heir in exchange for the cure."

Something in me screamed, as I opened my mouth, growled, paced. The wolf. I felt caged and shackled suddenly, leashed, collared. But I had to say it. "I agree to carry your heir in exchange for the cure and the information about the cure." The words felt binding, sudden, final, as if there was some spell on that moment.

The shackles closed over me and a pinch in the arm made me flinch. He sipped the coffee, calm, and the world fell always as I saw that satisfied look in his face. Demetruis got what he wanted. And he didn't look surprised.

The next thing I knew was being bound into a chair, legs strapped to stirrups, arms and neck tied down. The realisation as to what I'd agreed to hit me, and I stared in horror at the shoulders viable above a hospital gown, a man or woman between my legs doing something. I struggled, growling as I felt something, hearing feet approaching. What the hell had I agreed to? This was fucked up. This was wrong. This was...

Probably the only way to save my pack from being attacked by the mutts, a smaller voice piped up, as I felt fingers probe, the sense of rubber down there. The person's scent was filled with fear and she...

Wait, what?

I paused, inhaling, and I smelt her. Every single little subtle element to her scent, flooding my head, right down to the chicken salad sandwich she'd had maybe three hours before, the fear, the pounding heart as she knew I was awake and she was trying to get her job done fast. My legs weren't moving and it felt numb below my waist, somehow, I couldn't get any sense of a body below my belly button.

"Sir?" She called and the feet came closer. It was a good thirty seconds before Demetruis came into the room. He didn't bother hiding his glance between my legs, and I growled again, trying to free my arms as the chair shook under my efforts. "Should I sedate her?"

"No. Let me tell her the good news while you do the test." He stepped over, running a hand through the groomed hair, a pleased look on his face. "Congratulations. Earlier implantation worked."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I was tempted to add 'I've changed my mind' and see what mutts through of guns but I knew, deep down, that guns wasn't enough.

"You're healed. Fully healed. I suppose you've noticed that already though." He added, eyes going to my nose, which hadn't stopped flaring. An eyebrow raised. There was no fear in this man's scent, nothing except the werewolf part of him I could smell. Nothing. He was calm and he knew that right now he held the power. There was some arousal though, some lust, and I knew what he'd been thinking when he saw my naked lower half. "Don't you recall New York? Our encounter?"

"Our what?" I didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

Or did I? In the shed, when those idiots had been hoping I was like Daniella, I'd had this memory of ...I didn't know.

"Our special night. Is the test done?" He was undoing his sleeve buttons, rolling them up, placing the walking stick to one side. It was so casual, so easy, but there was an increase of blood in his body that made my blood run cold. "I'll celebrate this. It's been some time since I indulged myself."

"Nearly, Sir." She hurried, glancing up at us, and then withdrew a needle. "Done."

"Leave us then. Start the tests."

She did as fast as she could and he circled around. Unstrapped one leg, dropping it down, then the other, before reaching up to undo his shirt at the neck, tugging his tie off. I thrashed, growling, but he just ignored me.

"It seems there's no need for embryo implantation." Demetruis informed me, casually, as he unstrapped the other leg. "I was correct about your fertility. It was much simpler than we anticipated. You do not show yet, that's all, and I am delighted to not have to wait."

"Show?"

His hands undid his pants, throwing them to one side, and climbed on top of me, pulling my legs down, and when I snapped at him, threatening to tear him up if he got to close, he sighed. Then he struck me so hard my head rang, the elbow connecting with my head, the violence so unexpected from his calm manner that it stunned me on more than one level.

"You're already pregnant." He informed me, the chair shaking under us, as he lowered the chair back with a remote. "I think I will enjoy you again. Let us celebrate the easy conception."

I blinked, trying to clear my head, trying to understand and to fight back. With my neck held and my arms held, the feeling of his leg hairs brushing against my thighs as he lowered himself down. I saw his ass, slightly wrinkled, not very pretty looking, lower itself down against me as my legs flopped limply around him, and remembered.

When Antonio found me in the garden, it hadn't been just a beating. It had been worse than that and he was doing it again. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the tip of him prod against me, rough, about to violate me all over again...

"Sir?"

"What?" Demetruis growled, so angry that the woman flinched, I heard her behind the door, afraid to look. He froze.

"She's carrying twins."

"So what?" Teeth closed around my chest hard, through the hospital gown, as he held himself back.

"She might miscarry. You should wait till the tests are done to identify the fa-"

Something slashed against the wall, a glass of water, and Demetruis suddenly get up, anger making his face red, an anger that was out of place in that calm face. He growled, a low feral growl, hitting at a tray of tools and sending it flying across the room. I understood. He was happy to 'try me again' but not if it risked his heir.

"-ther." She trailed off.

"Why aren't you doing the tests?" He was breathing hard, his body fully erect, hands clenching and unclenching.

"They've started. I'm waiting." She explained, hesitating, and he seemed to twitch as he stared at my spread legs.

Then he strode into the hallway, I heard a muffled strike, the woman's surprise and hurt gasp, and her body hit the wall right next to the doorway. I saw her arm, her leg, struggling against him, as he ripped her clothing instead, eyes fixed on me, my scent in his nostrils as he forced her against the wall, horror filling me as he raped her instead.

Or was it rape?

I didn't know, suddenly, because her arm was around his neck, not pushing him. But he was so rough. I heard the pain it caused her with every slam of skin against skin, and yet she was moaning...

It confused me and upset me, and made me want to change, but I forced myself to stay calm. Not all rough sex was bad. Nick was rough sometimes. I shut my eyes, trying to not see or hear it, trying to ignore the heavy gaze of his eyes on my own body, as violating as anything else right now.

He groaned, eyes fixed on me, and when he was done, strode away, the anger in his scent fading with him. The woman took a few minutes and she was trying to pull her clothing back down, breathing, not even looking at me as she went the other direction, limping somewhat.

I lay there, legs slumped wide open, eyes shutting as I tried to understand and forget what had just happened. Tried to think about the situation logically.

So I was pregnant already. I'd done a test a few weeks ago, when I'd been sick with Nick's fever, and it had said otherwise but they weren't always right. Wasn't that why I'd planned on getting a second one? They weren't always right? But then Nick had gotten sick. And it'd happened in New York, when Antonio had found me, but ...whatever they'd slipped me, Tyler, whatever Tyler had slipped me, it had made it impossible to remember it except for flashes here and there. Even now I didn't know how I got outside and only had this brief glimpse of that man's ugly ass lowering and rising above my hips, and another pair of feet nearby.

In other words, this had been something he'd been planning for some time. I wondered how long. Maybe as long as years- he had been very upset when he found out his son succeeded in artificially starting it up. And he'd made it clear why Elena couldn't work, or the others.

I felt sick suddenly, I wanted to throw up, realising that I was pregnant. I had been raped again. And this time I couldn't do a thing to stop it- I'd agreed to carry the man's child to protect the pack and get that damn cure. Antonio's concern had been right and that morning after pill hadn't done a thing to stop it.

The cure was real. I tried to hang onto this thought, as I inhaled deep, trying to breathe in and out to delay panic. The cure was real. He'd cured me, as he'd promised, and I was back to normal again. It also meant that if I was already pregnant, the time I had to wait to get that cure would be cut down by ...how long had it been since New York? It was December as of yesterday so... four months? Time had flown since I'd gotten sick, then everyone else had, and then we'd come out here...

My stomach did look round, now that I stared at it, my lower half still uncovered from his attempts. I hadn't thought about it- I was a curvy woman in general. A round stomach was never a cause for alarm when you were 'obese' in the eyes of the media. And I'd been far too busy to notice or care about weight gain. It did not look pregnant yet.

After a few hours, and I called out something about needing to go to the bathroom, the woman came back, more composed than when she'd limped off, and adjusted my legs and the blanket so I was covered. She didn't even look at me, and didn't look distressed, so I doubted it had been a rape. Maybe she hoped that she'd win favours by being his lover. I wasn't sure. She adjusted the blanket so she could do an ultrasound, the machine wheeled in by another doctor, neither of them giving the bindings a second glance. They worked for their boss alone, apparently, and this was not a normal hospital.

She asked me basic questions. When did I last have my period? I had been having them up to now, or I'd thought so, so I was confused, but she didn't seem bothered by that answer. She made me list the last period before August. August. When I'd gotten sick.

"Sixteen weeks then." She was writing something down and they started the ultrasound.

It was the second one, I had to assume, because she already knew where to shove the thing.

"I really need to go to the bathroom." I told her, again, and she ignored me.

"A boy." She informed the other man, who scribbled something down, ignoring me as she took a photo.

I stared at the screen, sudden, aware that this was really happening again. Only this time, I would never see this baby. I wouldn't see their hair change color almost daily or watch them happily ask strangers if they had a penis or … grief welled up in me, as she moved it, and I lost sight of the little body before I could really look at it. Did I want more kids? No way. But I didn't want to loose them either.

I didn't have a choice. I'd agreed to this. For the sake of all my pack, I'd agreed to let him take these ones away, so that my pack would recover.

"A girl."

Grief came back, lodging itself in my throat as she announced that, taking another photo. I struggled against the bindings as she checked them, checked their progress, confirming that they were both more or less sixteen weeks along.

"Will we inform him before or after the DNA test?"

"After. He does not care to know until he is sure they're his."

I froze, suddenly, and they walked out after they cleaned the stomach. Oh god. I hadn't even thought of that. Nick was using things to keep it from happening again, he never forgot now, but … no contraceptive was foolproof. What if they were his? Would Demetruis leave them alone? Probably not.

I was aware that my body released my bladder, but this was nothing now, nothing compared to the horror that came with the realisation that if these were ours, our children, that I'd loose them. Either when the tests were done or in five months, either way, I would loose them.

I'd know about them for a few hours and I didn't want to loose them. I wanted to fight for them teeth and nail. Could we get them after we got the cure or would he vanish? I didn't know. I hoped, hoped for their sake, that they weren't Nick's babies. Never in my life would I have thought to hope for this, never, but … I'd seen them moving. I'd seen their hearts racing. I'd seen them growing inside me. Unwanted puppies or not, they were _my puppies_.

The woman came back, gave me such a scathing look for wetting myself, and injected something into the little thing in my arm. It was barely seven seconds before she and the world faded away again.

I groaned, the feeling of a pillow under my head, a hand stroking my hair, and tried to throw the person off me, fear and horror and rage filling me. Whoever it was crashed back into a wall, as easily as I'd flicked off an ant, and I heard a groan that was very familiar.

My eyes flew open and I saw Antonio stand up, cringing, looking surprised as he held out his hands.

"Shh, it's all right." He tried to reassure me.

I sat up, disorientated, expecting to be in that hospital. Had it been a dream? All of it? I wasn't sure suddenly, my head swam, and the world swayed as I tried to stagger to my feet. Antonio came back fast and grabbed me, holding me up, though it was easy to push him back. I didn't have the balance though- I flopped onto my ass on the bed- and tried to get my head to work.

"Where am I?" Where was the hospital people? Had it been a bad dream?

"Home. We found you outside asleep. You've been gone three days." He rubbed the shoulder that had hit the wall, I could see other questions there, but Antonio held them back. He reached out to stroke my shoulder, trying to calm me down, as I came close to panic all over again. Three days?

I stared at the arm where the woman had injected something. There was a bruise there. Lifted my shirt, tried to feel for the belly, afraid. So afraid. What if they weren't there? What if they'd been Nick's and they weren't there? I staggered up, pushing him aside again easily, trying to get to the bathroom down the hall. I needed the wall but I made it, slamming the door shut in Antonio's face, trying to breathe, hands scrabbling at my stomach for the barely existent bump.

It was still there. I wasn't bleeding. I couldn't smell any blood.

A piece of paper was in my pocket, I realised, and I tugged it out.

_'Five months'._

That was it. That was all there was to it. Five months. He was coming back for them in five months. Grief and fear came back, and I flopped onto the ground, trying to not cry or loose it. It wasn't right. But I had to protect the pack and healing it, healing Nick, it was the best way. Antonio's scent was on the paper and I heard the door open slowly as he came in.

"Nick?"

"Elena is there. He seems comforted by her." He shut the door behind him, leaned against it, and crossed his arms. "You're healed."

He didn't mean cuts or scrapes. My strength had been a dead give away. I had to hide it better.

"Where were you?" He added. The gentleness was gone. Antonio's eyes narrowed. "That's an injection in your arm. You've got bruises on your wrists and neck. And I found the note. Where were you?"

"I can't tell you." I wanted to. He almost looked hurt by that, but he didn't budge, just stood there. "I can't tell you. Not yet."

"Is it to do with Nick?"

I didn't answer and he came to a conclusion on his own. What could I tell him? I didn't know. Could I tell him I was pregnant? They'd notice sooner or later. But then what? Tell him it wasn't Nick's child? What did I do?

"No one else knows you're back yet. Anything you tell me will be between us alone." Antonio dropped onto one knee, voice gentler now, reaching out to stroke my head.

"I can't tell you." I looked up and the look in his face, the intense worry and love that I usually saw for Nick, it was enough to make tears start to fall. He flinched at the sight and shifted closer. "I'm sorry."

"Good girl."

The entire world shifted. Suddenly I was in a van, and it wasn't Antonio, it was the older man. I was yanked up, body weak as something was injected into my arm, and I realised it was a spell after all. A fucking illusion.

"You're allowed to tell them you're pregnant. But the second you go into labour, you call me, and you tell them the babies died. Do you understand? Our agreement stands. I take my heirs. You take the information for the cure. We help each other out." He wasn't looking at me now, sliding back into a seat.

I was crying, shaking, but he ignored me. "."

"Calm down. We'll let you out at the factory. You say you got lost after the change. Tell them you're pregnant. Hide your cured body. Do you understand"

Another shaky yes, I was too devastated to care about appearing strong, aware that this was it. From now on, I'd have to lie, and I'd have to give them back. It was worse than any rape, this pain, and I had to hide it. For Nick and everyone.

He flung a wet cloth at me and waited till I had calmed down and my face had cooled before they started to drive. Then he slid the door open after an hour.

"The factory is a half hour walk along this road." Demetruis informed me. It was raining and I flinched as he shoved a jacket at me and a letter. "These are my details. Should you loose them, I will be in contact weekly, and you will receive them on your phone. Now get walking. The rain will ease soon."

They drove off and I started down the road, the cold rain soaking into my arms, trying to shove the grief and anger down. I tried to remind myself why this was important, tried to focus on the smell of the world that had come back to me, tried to enjoy the sense of hearing that allowed me to hear things so much further and more intricately. The slide of a snake nearby as it escaped the rain. The gentle crunch of my feet turning into a louder 'crunch'' that got wetter as the rain continued. The little rivers of water soaking into the arid desert and giving it precious water. And, if I concentrated, the sound of the factory. Even from this distance I could hear it- the voices echoing inside, the shout of someone in a fever, echoing right across the landscape that was so empty of people. If I had come here any other time as a werewolf I might have loved this place. Other people saw an empty desert. I heard and smelt how full it was, but not just that, how much sound carried across it. It was not empty at all.

How would I explain the pregnancy though? Nick hadn't really slept with me at that point. We'd been fighting and ...he'd know that. Maybe he'd think I was cheating. But they had found me in the garden and they knew what that might have meant happened. Antonio wouldn't have given me the pill otherwise. I would tell them and leave it at that. That I was pregnant, that it was from the attack in the garden, and I would try and carry it full term anyway.

Then I'd have to lie to them and tell them they'd died. I didn't know what to say about the bodies but I had months to come up with a lie.

God, I didn't want to lie. I wanted to tell them the truth right now. I wasn't the kind of person who liked being a self-sacrificing hero. Some part of me wanted Nick to appear, fully healed, like he had in the shed. Muscles bulging. Furious like some gorgeous Italian-American angel or something, crushing skulls and whisking me away. A girl could get used to that, even if she did like being strong herself, could get used to a partner having her back like that.

I froze. The sensation of something in my stomach came, like gentle butterflies, and all of a sudden the grief welled back. They were moving. I could feel them moving inside me. Just a few seconds of it, just a few seconds of this gentle tickle from inside, but I remembered how it'd felt from the triplets. Suddenly it became so real and I had to stand there, the tears back, and I gave into it. I only had five months to be with them. It hardly mattered that I had decided to not have any more, hardly mattered that I would have said 'No fucking way' a week ago if Nick asked, because they were there now.

_Stop it. _I tried to urge myself, lowering the umbrella so that the rain could wash down my face, soak the tears off, the cold water shocking my hot face.

A car drove past and then skidded to a halt. Reece got out, staring at me, his face white as he came closer. His nostrils flared, then he grabbed me, lifting me up and dropping me into the car.

"You scared the crap out of us. Where the hell were you?" He growled, checking, mistaking the tears for rain, and I reached out to touch his face. He felt and smelt real. God. His scent. I basked in his scent, inhaling, then tried to hide that by burying my head in his neck. I felt him tense, arms wrapping around me, and fear mingled with his scent. "You hurt? Did someone hurt you?"

"I'm pregnant." I was shaking, and when I felt him inhale slowly, I added, "It's not Nick's baby."

Reece drew back, staring at me like he'd never seen me before, and I saw the accusation there before he could help it. He thought I meant I'd cheated. "It's not Nick's baby?"

"It can't be. It has to be from the attack in New York." I didn't ask him if he knew about that. The whole damn pack knew about it more or less.

Reece's accusatory look faded suddenly, as if he was slapped, and that horror came back. Then rage. "I thought ...are you sure?"

"It has to be. It's too far along to be anything else."

He grabbed me in a hug again, trying to comfort me, and the guilt got worse. I was lying to him, not telling him the full truth, and I wanted to. I wanted to tell him everything. But I couldn't.

"I thought you smelt a bit funny again but you keep bleeding." He muttered against my hair. "Is that normal?"

"We'll ask Jeremy."

We sat there for a long time, Reece trying to comfort me, and I was trying to resist the urge to blurt it all out. Half of me was expecting it to be another mindfuckery thing but when nothing happened, no spell fading, I tried to relax.

"I'll take you to the factory. Nick has been panicking without you." He murmured against my neck and climbed into the front seat. "They'll be bloody glad to see you're okay."

"Don't tell them about it. Not yet." My eyes met his in the mirror and he nodded, jaw tightening, that anger back.

"You keeping it?"

"Not its fault." I didn't tell him 'it' was 'them'. He would want to know how I knew and that'd raise too many questions. Questions I couldn't answer.

"Suppose you're right there." He didn't seem convinced, glaring at my stomach as if it was the cause for my pain, like he was tempted to insist I get rid of them.

It was a quick drive and he helped me inside, though he didn't need to, and I almost fell back at the explosion of scents and sounds inside the factory. As a human I hadn't noticed this- the mishmash of mutts, so many mutts, the sounds of them, the Cabal and their patients, the scents criss-crossing across the factory floor, the smell of food upstairs, the groans, and... Nick's panic. I smelt it and heard it.

Shrugging Reece's arm off me, I ran, ignoring Vi's surprised "Anne!" and everyone else, running up the stairs, barely able to suppress the returned strength. Nick was panicking. Antonio was struggling with him, cursing, and I burst into the storage room.

"Anne!"

I crossed to Nick in a few strides and leaned down over him as he thrashed, groaning, fear filling my nostrils.

Suddenly he relaxed, as his own nostrils flared, and when my hand touched his face, Nick's body slumped back. He had been afraid for me. Had he sensed my distress? Maybe he had. I didn't know how this mate thing worked but it seemed that we did do that- share more than we intended.

"Anne?" Antonio looked relieved. "You okay?"

"Not really." I muttered, then when he stiffened, tried to smile. "I mean, I am better now. Here." Nick's smell in my head. I didn't want to say it in front of him anyway, afraid that he'd pick it up on some level, and it'd upset him. "We'll talk later."

He nodded, reaching out to grasp my hand, the feel of Antonio's skin on mine enough to make me burst into tears again. Or nearly. He seemed to see it and pulled me out of the room as Lillian lifted the bowl.

"What's wrong?"

I told him what I'd told Reece. Antonio didn't think I'd cheated on Nick, I saw him connect the dots before I could tell him when and where, and he glanced down at my stomach with the same anger Reece had given it. My hand went over it protectively.

"I gave you a pill for that."

"It didn't work."

He reached out and I tensed, Antonio's anger fading, and he took my arms instead.. "Relax. I won't harm it. I'm just angry that it happened."

"It's okay. I don't remember it." I tried to smile, weak, which didn't help.

"Can I look?"

I nodded and he lifted up the top, hand brushing across the barely there bump, stepping closer. It wasn't his grandchild and yet he was so tender, so careful, that I saw him already bonding to it, already deciding to accept it as one. It hurt to see him do that. I had to toughen up and get used to it- they'd all do it, one by one, when it became clear I wasn't having an abortion. They'd all adopt the twins as apart of the pack. I'd have to pretend that it was going to happen.

"You really don't show much, do you?" He asked, amused, and reached out to hug me again. "That where you were? Upset?"

I nodded and he sighed. "Should have told me. I'm your father too now."

Those words made tears come back again. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and I couldn't just 'harden up'. Antonio seemed shocked even, he'd only seen me like this a few times, and he made me lie down on the spare bed in the storage room and have a nap.

The shock about it spread, though only Reece and Antonio knew the truth about the father, and suddenly I was completely off nursing duties and getting another ultrasound. I knew what they'd find, knew they'd find the twins, but they checked for a sneaky third. This time there was no sneaky third baby, they checked carefully, but there was twins. A boy and a girl. Then I was given the same orders as Savannah was- observation only. No work. Vi was concerned that I'd kept having periods even with twins and she didn't want to push my body. I managed to convince her to let me take the staircase on my own though. She was tempted to have me carried up and down it and truthfully, I just didn't need that much help now, my body back to strength.

It was hard to hide that, hard to hide the incredible hearing and sense of smell, to pretend to be weak like a human. I had to let Reece take care of me as if I was like before. If they knew I was healed, they'd know something was going on, or they'd do tests and they might have figured it out.

Clayton seemed the only one suspicious. I didn't understand it, why he kept giving me looks, like some part of him knew I wasn't telling the full truth. But he never questioned it. No one did. They accepted my sudden silence or change of subject as if it was another symptom of the pregnancy, despite the fact that until now, I'd had no symptoms, and continued to feel pretty good on that front.

Demetruis did contact me in a week. I didn't ask how he had my phone number, after we'd changed it, I didn't want to ask. He spoke. I answered with yes or no. Then he hung up and the number remained private. But I had his number in that letter with the instructions to go into the desert and only call it when the labour started or if they found out the truth, and I required immediate evacuation to protect the babies. It sounded like he expected the pack to beat the babies up if they found out. Or maybe it was a last chance to prove I was an 'ally'. Willingly give myself to him if the pack found out. I didn't know.

Daniella seemed to be suspicious too. She watched me carefully, and I tried to ignore her, still so angry about what hurt she'd called Reece. It was strange, to have both her and Clayton watching me like hawks, and sometimes trying to follow me. The thing was, now that I had good hearing and scent, I could tell when I was being followed and could give them the slip.

"I've told my children." Lillian spoke up, as we sat on either side of him, her eyes on Nick's pale face.

"About Nick?"

She nodded, stroking his arm, that tenderness and wonder there. It made me want to cry all over again, that love, aware that even after so long a mother could love her child like this. Maybe one day they'd find me. Maybe I'd find them. Lillian's eyes met mine. "Are you all right?"

"Pregnancy." I muttered. Truthfully, still I had no symptoms really, but it was amusing now that I knew it was there, how aware I was of it. The small things I'd been too busy to care about suddenly were the focus of my attention. She nodded, a sympathetic look, and reached across Nick to grasp my hand too. I'd told her, when she found out, I didn't want her to think she was getting another grandchild. It would have been too cruel to her after she just got him. She didn't know the specifics about the rape- just that I'd been drugged while out and had woken up the next day with a killer headache.

She and Antonio, while they didn't speak, had started to give each other looks of such ...intensity... that I wondered if something was going on. I could tell it wasn't- they never had the scent of the other on them- but something was going on. They kept trying to avoid each other's company for too long, flinch if one accidentally brushed the other's arm, but I caught him staring at her more than once. And likewise, she'd stare at Antonio, sometimes her cheeks flushed, as if she was that love struck teenage girl again.

That, and her amusement at the toddlers trying to show her that they could go potty now, was what I used to try and not go crazy with the guilt. Tried to focus on the love everyone had for each other. On what I was protecting by doing this.

And Demetruis was determined to make sure I knew he wasn't going to betray me, because by the third week after the agreement, he'd already given me the first part of the cure. Not enough to create it, or even discover it, but it was a show of faith. And he sent me something far more precious than that. He sent me something to end the fever for two people, suggesting I use it for Nick and someone else. Not a cure but ...a treatment. Demetruis warned me to keep it quiet, to not explain it, but he wanted me to see that he was serious about being on my side as long as I was on his.

Some part of me was suspicious but with Nick suffering, and he really was, I tried it. First on a mutt. When the mutt came out of the fever within hours, much to Vi's shock, I used it on Nick.

The next few hours felt like years. I sat there, anxiety trying to make me go off, taking his temperature and checking him obsessively, refusing to leave the room. But I felt it, felt it deep inside me, felt his body healing itself. Slowly. Surely. Felt his breathing deepen, his skin cool, the sweat fade. The fever was breaking. I couldn't tell Vi why, I couldn't explain it, because Demetruis had forbidden it and he had me by the balls. So to speak.

I was trying to eat when Nick blinked, shifting onto his side, and stared at me. His eyes were clear, his body smelling healthy, and he looked _fine_.

"How the hell did I forget you?" Nick stared at me, shaking his head slightly, reaching out for me. His voice was raw, croaking, and he drank the entire glass of water when I offered it. He looked confused. "You? Of the entire world."

"You've been sick." I tried to talk, which made him rub his head,.

"I know that. How did I forget you?" He grabbed at me, the movement so sudden and unexpected that he had me on the bed before I could blink. The strength wasn't that of a werewolf, my heart sinking as I realised it, but it was Nick and he was awake and he was fine. More than fine. It was like he'd just woken up, not recovered from a deadly fever, even undoing my top for me, fingers tracing across old scars and things. Some weren't his, some were, across birthmarks, freckles he liked, thumb brushing across my nipple. Across the spot the mutt had threatened to bite me in Central Park.

"Nick, you've been sick. For weeks. Calm down." I added, as he rested his head on my arm. "What did you remember?"

"_Everything_." The word had so much wonder in it, like he couldn't believe it himself, the brown eyes drinking in every inch of me. Nick reached down to stroke my lower stomach. He froze, as he felt the lump, staring at it. "I remember everything. Is that what I think it is?"

"It's about bloody time." I felt my eyes go wet at the look in his face, emotion well up, and so much relief. I lifted his head to mine, not answering the question, leaning down to kiss him hard. "You're back."

"I'm really back. I know I was sick. I also know that I'm really a middle aged man." He muttered, groaned softly, and flopped his head on my chest. Nick's eyes shut, the burst of energy gone, and I felt him relax again, his body easing into a peaceful sleep. Reece and Vi appeared within a minute, probably having heard him, and she shook her head as she took the readings.

"He is ...not sick. I do not understand." She stared at Nick and then me. "It makes no sense. He is not sick now. No warning. No coming out slowly."

"Like a switch." I agreed, as I gently eased him back onto his back, sliding up with Reece's help. "Is he really okay?"

"Really. I will call Antonio." She moved out, before returning, trying to take his temperature again. Vi couldn't believe it. "It makes no sense. The disease _never_ ends this fast. Three hours ago he was almost too hot and now he is fine. Another mutt shows same improvement."

She headed out, glancing back at him, the phone pulled out.

Nick improved so fast that by supper time, he was up and about, not even needing a cane. Ate everything we offered, and more, though he had lost his sense of smell, hearing and strength like everyone else had. He was upset, I could tell, but he tried to hide it. He tried to smile and pretend everything was okay.

When I told him the news about the babies, the next morning, he did not pretend everything was okay. Nick vanished outside, I heard things smashing, and he returned breathing hard, the fury in his face, not trying to pretend he was fine. He was really upset. Not only had he lost everything he'd gotten used to but I was forced to carry someone else's babies. It went against every instinct left in him, every single one, and I knew that he wanted to get rid of the babies. I knew that he felt more hostility towards my stomach than he had towards the last pregnancy, and it wasn't a shock when he pushed hard for an abortion. Get rid of them. To him, they were parasites, insults to me and to him, not children but an insult. Growing. Getting ready to hurt me again.

I wished I could tell him the truth.


	10. Regret

Hi :) Sorry- uploading issues. Third time lucky!

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><p>I didn't have to tell Nick in the end. He knew I was upset about something else, beside the pregnancy, from the second he woke up. Some part of him knew something worse was going on and when I refused to tell him, he was more hurt than he would have been if I'd cheated on him. We'd promised honesty, he'd reminded me, before he moved into the living room. Lying to him, as I had to do, was the worst thing I could do.<p>

There was nothing else I could do though.

Clayton agreed with Nick, agreed that I was lying, and I saw the respect I'd earned vanish in his eyes. He stopped looking at me like a pack-sister and now like an outsider, which hurt just as much, but Reece and Antonio stuck up for me. They both defended me when they shouldn't have. Clayton and Nick were right. I was lying.

Funnily enough, I ended up sharing a room with Daniella at the factory, the two of us in the 'dog house'. I'd tried to think of her as a bitch, a heartless bitch, but it was impossible to think that while I shared the tiny room with her. She was as wounded and fucked up as I was. We just had to deal with it differently and for her, sex was power, the desire she could provoke, and after being helpless all her life, she needed power.

I didn't like it. But the anger I'd felt at her faded somewhat. She needed power to feel safe and I needed to protect my family at all costs even if it meant hurting Nick. We came to a truce, without speaking a word to each other, the unspoken anger fading a fraction.

Nick was so upset with me that he somehow managed to avoid me completely. If I was at the house, he was at the factory, or visa versa. I couldn't catch him at all.

Somehow the Cabal scientists, using the other mutt I'd 'cured' of the fever, had figured out what I'd done. Suddenly in a matter of days, fevers were breaking, and mutts were leaving. I felt horrified at first, and when Demetruis called I heard myself apologising as if I was listening to someone else.

He was amused, amused at how much power he had over me right now, and reassured me that he'd fully expected this. It was only to break a fever- it was _not_ the cure. Nor would it lead them to the cure. But he appreciated my concern and for a final barb, a final dig at the power he had, hung up after calling me a good pet.

I almost smashed the phone at that. He'd said it on purpose, he knew what that word meant, but ...there was nothing I could do. The helplessness made me furious.

To everyone's surprise, a week before Christmas, every last mutt was awake and gone. The Cabal still demanded use of the factory for the experiments with the corpses but the pack could go back home.

Nick drove back with the moving truck. I flew back with the babies, Daniella and Reece helping, and came back into Forestwatch on my own. Daniella went back to New York on her own, Reece wanted to stay with me, and I heard from him that Nick and Antonio had gone back to New York.

I tried to be happy. It wasn't working well. I couldn't blame the hormones either- it wasn't a stage of pregnancy, apparently, that was emotional. But at least here, at home, I had the toddlers with me. I had privacy. I could stop lying all the time.

Some part of me was trying to pretend nothing was different. It was easy for a few days, while the rest of the pack were so preoccupied dealing with the 'new mutts', to get time on my own with just the babies. I set up the toddler's potty, took care of them, and was so busy on 'forgetting' that I forgot it was Christmas till after lunch when I got a call from Elena, asking me if I needed help.

"Why would I need help?" I was scrubbing dishes, trying to hear her over the noise of the toddlers playing the saucepans, the breakfast and lunch pretty much the same meal. Not that they minded much about that.

"We thought you were coming for the morning presents. The kids have already gone over them. Matt showed up, said you were busy cooking, he didn't want to wait anymore."

"Morning presents?" I dumped the dishes onto the side, stepping over Dominic as he crawled underfoot for the cupboard. "What do you mean? I wondered where he'd run off to."

"Did you two forget it was Christmas?" She sounded amused.

"Christmas?" I froze. Oh shit. Now I remembered what today was. No wonder why Matt seemed confused and put off when I said I probably wasn't going to Stonehaven today. "Is that today?"

"Where's Nick?"

"New York." I replied. I heard her sharp intake of breath, her surprise, and the echo.

"New York? What's he doing there?"

"I don't know. Working." I grimaced as she repeated this to someone in the background, it sounded like Antonio, and I added, "It's okay. He was sick a long time. He has a lot of work to do."

"Clayton's coming to pick you up."

I flinched at that. I normally liked seeing him but now? Not so much. I didn't argue though. "The kids are covered in lunch."

"Good, Antonio and Lillian can bathe them. I think he got them some cute Christmas outfits." She seemed stunned. "You really forgot it's Christmas?"

"Shit, I don't even have presents." I swore. The shock over Lillian being there was overwhelmed by the horror that Christmas was here and I had nothing for Matt. Or Logan. Or Kate. The toddlers probably wouldn't notice or care so much but the older kids _would_.

"Don't worry. We'll figure something out. See you soon."

I tried to gather up the things we needed, a clean potty chair thing, racing up and down stairs, food in a box on the table, throwing things at it. Chips. Cookies. A loaf of bread. Shit. Did they want me to cook? I was not prepared for this. How had I forgotten Christmas? Was it because it wasn't snowing yet, where as the last two Christmases, it had been? I had no clue.

Clayton appeared after fifteen minutes, yanking the toddler's car seat out of my hands with such a look of annoyance that I froze. "You ain't supposed to be lifting heavy stuff. Remember?" His eyes darted to the lump that was more or less hidden under the winter clothing.

"Someone's got to."

He scowled and lifted up one of the babies under the other arm, turning and heading for the car. "No more lifting. Not even toddlers."

I couldn't leave them to roam the ground floor wild, nappy free, as much as they might have loved that... but I didn't tell him that, just went back to the kitchen and tried to find things I could donate towards the traditional Christmas dinner. There was a jar of Vegemite, I had a sudden urge to eat it, and I slid it into my pocket with a spoon. First craving? Maybe... but sometimes I did like to eat a spoonful of it. Sometimes. It was nice in hot water.

Clayton finally got everything in the car and returned for the box. He and I didn't speak as we pulled out, the three toddlers in the back seat, but he did glance at the house.

"You alone in there?"

"Yeah?" I wasn't sure who else would be there.

He didn't say anything else, hands tightening on the wheel, and when we pulled up I was instructed firmly to go inside and not lift babies. I didn't need to be told that- Antonio came out, arms open for me, then he got the babies out himself. They were happy to walk up into the house, with a little help up the stairs, following me inside.

The floor was covered in Christmas wrapping paper, the smell of a real pine tree filling the air, food already in the oven. I stepped over it, guiding the toddlers into the living room, already feeling claustrophobic. Some part of me wanted to retreat back to Forestwatch now that they were here, delivered, only able to give a tense smile to Lillian who was sitting in the living room and looking as stunned as she had when she'd seen us changing.

Elena waved from the tree and I sat down, my mind fading, feeling almost separate and cut off from the pack. I'd have to change tonight. Too much time had past and I was restless, frustrated, hadn't even realised how much time had passed since my last change. The stress was getting to me.

I felt no joy. No anticipation. Nothing but dread of how this would end. It showed, my stomach, but I had it covered up under the baggy top, trying to downplay what was going on inside. Their movements provoked only grief if I focused on it. So I didn't. I smiled, I helped peel potatoes, I told them how to make the potatoes crispy, and pretended that I was happy.

The cooking burnt a little, I struggled to care, but we managed to get the meal out. Roast turkey, cold roast chicken, a _goose_ even, potatoes, all kinds of things that the hungry pack were going to gorge on. No one let me lift anything, they flat out refused to let it happen, so I just tried to direct the cooking like I had last year.

Nick showed up in time for dinner, making up an excuse which I could tell was a lie, his eyes not meeting mine. He wasn't going to talk to me till I told him the truth. I couldn't tell him the truth till after the birth.

We ate, Nick sitting beside me, but he didn't look at me or touch me. Didn't try and hold my hand under the table. Reece noticed, noticed the look on my face, and kept fixing Nicks with pointed looks, which Nick ignored, until finally Reece picked up his plate, came around the table, and squeezed in between us.

With him there, with his arm around me, I shuddered and leaned against the familiar presence, comforted somewhat. Whatever Nick and Clayton decided, Reece didn't care, and it was both a comfort and filled me with additional guilt. Would he feel this affectionate towards me when he knew I'd lied so much? When I'd traded my children for chemicals?

We ate slowly, the laughter echoing around me, and I smiled. Or tried to. If someone asked me if I was all right, I'd blame hormones, and that was good enough. Every time I lied, Nick tensed more, and he continued to avoid me. Clay never failed to notice this and he too withdrew. I saw them several times that night, outside, talking, and I knew it wasn't about the nice weather or when the snow would come.

The presents that night, the adults handing them out, it was like the first Christmas I'd been there when I'd been numb and barely able to focus. Mostly, it was food again, sometimes other things, and I tried to smile and be grateful every time I received a present. No one seemed to mind that I'd forgotten, reminding me that the days after Christmas were really the best days to buy presents anyway, and it was probably smart of me to do that.

I almost cried, almost, when I found a pair of presents for the twins. A 'twin cot'. Toys. Clothing. They weren't even born yet and they were already being spoiled rotten. What would they say when they were gone? The Christmas was a disaster, I ended up sitting outside, eating the Vegemite from the jar, ignoring Reece's attempts to grab it.

"That's probably not healthy." He told me, amused as he watched me eat spoonful after spoonful. "That's a lot of salt."

I shrugged. "Cravings."

"Want some bread to go with it?"

A shake of my head and he sat down beside me, giving up, and we sat side by side in the cold night, watching the stars drift overhead, the warmth of each other's bodies through the thick winter clothing.

"Did you fight with Nick?"

"He thinks I'm lying to him." I said quietly. I didn't say he was wrong either.

"Want me to talk to him?" Reece asked, softer, glancing back at the house. There was laughter, teasing, the usual love and fun that came when the pack was relaxed. The news that people had recovered so fast, so soon, it gave everyone hope that it meant the cure wasn't far behind. I wished I could tell them too. "You okay?"

"I'm just emotional." An understatement, but he hugged me closer, his lips kissing my forehead, and I eased against him, the sound of his heart and his scent as calming as anyone else here. "I'll miss you."

"I'm only in New York. You don't have to miss me that much." He laughed, softly, sneaking the spoon and eating his own spoonful of the salty stuff. "Just give me a call and I'll fly over for the night. Nick doesn't have to act like an ass all the time."

"He's in New York too." I muttered.

"So who's helping you with the triplets?" When I shrugged, his arm tightened, a low inhale showing exactly what he thought of that. "Shit. Does Elena know?"

"Clay will probably dob me in now. But yeah." I nodded a fraction, taking the spoonful and eating it, and stiffened as I saw something white drift down. "Look."

We watched as a single snowflake fell to the earth in front of us, melting almost as it reached the ground, and his lips curved up slowly. "Get to make a wish, I think."

"Isn't that a star?"

"It's whatever we want."

I wished that they'd forgive me. I knew deep down that I had to go, I had to leave, because I couldn't take it anymore here. Another week and I'd snap, blurt it all out, I couldn't take much more of Nick or Clay's cold shoulders.

I walked back on my own, after Antonio asked to have them overnight, as Nick was apparently staying there. The house was suddenly too empty and I stared it blankly, sitting at the table, aware that I was going quietly mad here. I _had_ to get out. If I stayed here, if I kept seeing the pack, I would crack. They were going to do a nursery soon, were going to send someone to live here while Nick refused to come back, I knew it without them having to tell me. I'd heard them discussing it quietly. They didn't want me to lift the toddlers any more.

I headed upstairs, quietly packing my suitcase, and called a taxi for early the next morning before Antonio came over with the toddlers. Then I headed out for my last run on the properties, alone, not even finding joy in the first flakes of snow that fell. I padded through the ground, the change more of a chore than a joy for once, not caring or noticing the prey. I wasn't hungry. I was just getting the change out of my system so I could get going.

Daniella was standing there the next morning, arms crossed, beside the suitcase I'd left beside the door. She glanced at it then at me.

"You going somewhere?"

"I... no?"

"Good. Then you won't mind if I call someone to lift this for you." She lifted her phone.

"No, please. Don't. I need to go for a while." I reached out, grabbing the phone, and Daniella backed off. She didn't look surprised.

"I knew, from the way you were looking today, that you were already ...I'm coming with you."

"I need to go alone." I protested.

She shook her head, a small grimace mixed with a sad smile, and nodded behind me to the kitchen. Another bag was there. "I don't know what it is you're running from. I won't even ask. But I need to run away for a while too. Let me come with you. _Please_." She said the last word, quiet, her eyes falling, and I saw it. All that pain she used power to hide. She needed to escape this place too. It'd become a prison.

"I can't explain anything."

"Then don't."

"If I tell you to go-"

Daniella cut me off again. "Then I go. I won't hang around you, I won't pry, just let me escape for a while too. Please." When I sighed, her face relaxed a fraction. "Where are we going?"

She waited, as I wrote a note, and the two of us left.

The note was quick, brief, an apology to them and to the babies, and that I needed to go for a while. I promised to come back after the birth. It didn't explain much, except that I felt claustrophobic, and I left as much money as I could, as well as the credit card. It broke my heart to leave the triplets, as much as it did for Nick to not look at me, but looking at them... hearing them laugh... seeing them, day after day, grow up so fast, change so fast, a dozen new words every day...It just reminded me of what I was going to miss. Funny how I resisted the idea of more babies so strongly and yet now, all I struggled with the idea of never seeing them grow up, never seeing them learn what a toilet was for, or to tell me what they liked and didn't like. I'd miss their first Christmas. Their first birthday. _Everything_.

The grief Lillian felt, when she'd lost Nick, I understood it. It was something no mother could ever forget or 'let go of'. If I left now, didn't see the triplets, maybe I could go into a better state of denial. Get through the next few months. Denial was something I was great at. I'd been doing it for two years about the attack and the bite. Now I just needed to get away a while and continue it.

Daniella didn't even bother writing a note. She left something behind, something in a small box, and the two of us got into the taxi without a glance back.

The taxi to the airport was quiet and I wasn't even sure where I was going. Maybe I could do a tour of the UFO hotspots, like I'd always wanted to do, but Nick had snorted at. Maybe I could go on a cruise.

Maybe I could just go back to Australia. Daniella agreed, when I asked her if Andrew would allow, but then she brought up an important point. They wouldn't let me on the plane if I was too pregnant to come back. But I made a note of it to ask Demetruis anyway, not for permission, but to find out if he'd come to Australia to pick up the babies.

Almost as if he'd known I was thinking of him, he called while Daniella was in the bathroom, and he seemed amused. If I wanted to go home for the birth, then he would arrange for it to be set up there, and I found the two of us with a first class ticket for Australia. Paid for by him. From there, I'd find my own place, but …

I called Andrew, told him we were coming, and that I we want to be disturbed or for him to tell anyone. The Australian alpha had enough of a clutch on his role now to allow this, thankfully. He reassured me that fear of the disease spreading through America would keep all mutts clear of me- they'd only just managed to keep it contained and it'd stopped spreading. Daniella would probably visit him, I wasn't sure, but I didn't need to.

I might have been tempted to go to Russia and live with Pav. But that would have meant facing questions. Questions I didn't want to answer. While I waited for the plane to board, customs to let me through, I was on the phone arranging a place to live. This time I wasn't going to Melbourne. It would be expected- I grew up there- and I had to avoid the pack for a while. It was to protect them.

Just before I got on the flight, I felt it, a flood of panic that was not my own. Nick had found out. I cut it off, shoved the sense back, trying to ignore it. It was surprising how easy it was to block it out.

The flight was long. I arrived in Sydney, Demetruis probably expecting me to want to stay there, like most Americans... or Greeks, as I suspected he was... assumed all Australians loved that city. That damn city. Melbourne was much friendlier and I loved the alleyways. I stayed in neither city- once I'd withdrawn a large amount of cash so I couldn't be traced, I flew to Brisbane, where I'd lived for a few years as a student. Two reasons for it- they'd heard me whine enough about humid summers up here to think it was the last place I'd go during summer and there was a set of islands south of Brisbane that were cheap and while I didn't really have to worry about that... I wanted to make the money last as long as possible before I had to make another large withdrawal. Daniella parted ways with me in Sydney, she was going to go see Andrew first, but she had the address. She knew where to find me.

I forgot my phone was in my pocket. I stared at it, as I got off the plane in Brisbane, and at the tons of messages. I didn't want to throw it away, I wanted to keep it, but... it was too tempting. Sitting at the airport, I scribbled down phone numbers, and with regret... dropped it into the Brisbane river out of the train window, as the airport train took me into the city.

It was too late to have second thoughts or to let them convince me to come back.

Macleay Island, with a population of around three thousand, was perfect. An hour south of Brisbane, separated from the mainland by a passenger ferry, and the house I'd rented with incredible views of the sea. I'd lived out here as a student, out on this island in a shared house, and it was a familiar place that I almost felt relieved to come back to.

Only when I got into the house, shut the door, and dropped the suitcase in the living room, did I break down and really let it out, the exhaustion, the frustration, the hurt at how not once, not once, had those warm brown eyes found mine, or his hands brush across my hand, or anything of the sort to show that he was still there. I knew it was because I was lying to him, I knew that, but I needed that comfort.

I knew now, now that I was safely here, that it was done. I was cut off.

* * *

><p>And like that, the supernatural world fell away, and with it some sense of what I was. Daniella would be coming in a few weeks, she sent a letter, and I was alone. Besides the need to change once a week, which was a chore now, there was nothing to indicate that off this island any of that really existed. There was just scars, like ghosts tattooed onto my skin, and dreams that broke my heart night after night. Memories of the triplet's scent, of Nick's smile, his caress, the look he got when he wanted to pounce me but there was a baby in his path.<p>

During the days, I somehow pretended that it didn't exist. A few times to the mainland on the passenger ferry, a few trips in the taxi, and suddenly everyone knew I was here. That was the problem and the advantage to these islands- they were small, the population condensed, almost half of them pensioners, so a single pregnant woman became everyone's business. I hid the rings to try and avoid any more probing questions.

The thing about living on these islands was the problem of shopping. Almost every house had a shopping trolley, the kind usually associated with a grandma, and it was a weekly ritual for people to get onto the passenger ferry with their trolley, or for some, trolleys, get on a bus to the nearest mall, and buy up big. Bulk was a common need. There shops on the island too, one on Macleay, and one on the nearby Russell island which was one of the stops on the passenger ferry, but long life milk was usually snatched up so fast that in order to get it, you'd have to be there on the first day of the new catalogue.

Being more and more pregnant by the day though, as if my stomach was making up for lost time, I found that people were helpful with me all the time. I was full strength- I didn't need help to wheel a trolley or get it onto the passenger ferry or on or off the bus- but that didn't stop people from helping. It didn't stop them from popping over with a carton of long life milk, in case I was out of milk, or something else. My landlord lived next door and checked in daily. This was the thing about the islands I used to love and loathe all at once- the closeness of the community. Out here, on these islands, most of the community were what Australians called the 'working poor' or were pensioners. That meant that they tended to look out for one another.

It also meant that if anyone came here asking after me, I'd hear about it first, before they were shown my house. The Island taxi driver, who was always there to meet every passenger ferry just in case there were people who needed lifts, knew my face and my address. If there was someone looking for me, rather than bring them here, she'd probably drop them off at the pub up from the ferry and stop by on her rounds. Tell me so I could decide if I wanted to go to the pub to see them or not.

I relaxed on the porch, the hot summer day made easier by the cool breeze coming off the ocean that these islands had during summer, watching the passenger ferry go past. I smelt everyone on it. Daniella was there, amongst them, and I stretched lazily, though the smell of her brought back memories I'd been working really hard to suppress.

She appeared twenty minutes later, having to put up with the taxi rounds a bit, and looked at me like I was crazy. I'd poured two drinks the second I heard the van coming down the dirt road.

"This is your idea of escaping?"

"Small country community. No one can come here without me hearing about it." I replied and held out the second glass of juice. "I knew you were coming. Here."

She took it, relieved as I switched the air conditioning on, and collapsed onto the couch. Daniella glanced down at my stomach.

"It's growing."

I nodded, absent-mindedly, not looking at it. It was hard enough to feel them moving. She seemed to not know what to say for a moment.

"There's a spare bed in the second room." I gestured at the door I barely went into. The landlady had offered to put cots in there for me. "You can stick your stuff in there."

Daniella got up with a groan, wheeling the bag across the tiles into the second room, and glanced out the window. "Nice views though."

"Yeah. You can see the passenger ferry." I went to the window in her room too, gazing out, watching it circle back towards the mainland. "See?"

"What do you do out here?"

"Paint." I didn't do much else now. I painted, I read, I watched movies, anything to not think about everything else.

"I might spend some nights in Brisbane." Daniella said quietly. "So don't worry if I don't come back."

"As long as you're safe." I said quietly, and she nodded a fraction.

"Any cute guys out here?" She asked, trying to smile and joke.

"Not unless you're into pensioners or dole bludger." I muttered and Daniella's face fell.

"I may be in Brisbane a bit more then." She joked, again, reaching out to touch my arm. I flinched, the physical contact the first in a long time, but Daniella refused to remove her hand. "You haven't really gotten out much, have you?"

I knew she was trying to relax me, but the more I smelt her, the less I could pretend that I didn't miss everyone. So I muttered, yawning, "I need a nap," and left her to explore on her own. Once in my room, in the sanctuary I'd created, I curled up on my side and stared at the wall as music drowned out the sound of Daniella. She headed into the kitchen, complained about how crap the food was, and went shopping for us.

Twenty two weeks pregnant. Nick used to watch the weeks, read on the development, getting into it despite himself. I didn't even want to touch my stomach now. The most I indulged, with the pregnancy, was for the craving of Vegemite. I craved it worse than I'd craved anything. They moved a lot now, particularly when I was hungry, refusing to go with my denial.

I missed him.

She refused to leave for a week, even though saw her itching to go out, and we headed out the next day to go shopping together. Daniella was amused by the passenger ferry shopping, pushing it as I got one of the seats offered to me while she slid it into the front of the passenger ferry where everyone was sticking their trolleys.

"How does everyone know where their trolley is?" She asked me as she sat down beside me, the ferry pulling out from the dock. "Or who's is whos?"

"People get to know their belongings, I guess." I answered softly, tugging my bag into my lap, and resting it on top of my stomach. We watched as we pulled into the next island, Karragarra, more people coming on. Daniella was fascinated, having never seen the islands before, watching kids playing in the shark net.

"Why aren't they just swimming in the sea water? Is it protection from the boats?" She gazed around. The islands were surrounded by the sea and protected from the ocean by Stradbroke Island, which meant the water itself was more or less calm looking, and boats came and went through the channels between the islands.

"There's strong currents and sharks. Those pools keep sharks out and people safe." I explained over the hum of the motor.

"There's sharks?"

"And dolphins, and dugong, and..." I pointed out the window, suddenly.

She saw it too, gasping, sliding across to the window beside her. A turtle floated by, head up, before it dived down out of our sight. "Was that a turtle?"

"Yeah."

Daniella gazed out the window, eager, trying to see something else. The waves chopped gently around the passenger ferry and nothing else came up, though I knew that under us was a lot of life, a lot of fish... it was a place I'd really come to love as a student.

We reached the mainland as the ambulance ferry pulled out, and she watched it go by, that stunned look back on her face. "Was that the ambulance?"

"Yeah. No roads to the islands so..." I smiled somewhat as she watched it go, a person on a stretcher inside. "Sometimes they just use it to take older people on and off the islands and to the hospitals. You see it a lot, there's an ambulance on the island that waits to take them home."

It was distracting, amusing her with all this information, and she followed me onto the bus that took us to the mall. Daniella told me she'd grown up near Sydney, so she was more used to suburbs than anything else, her father and the pack usually only there part of the time. Then she went quiet for a long time, watching the streets go by, till we got to the mall.

We wandered around, watched a movie, shopped, and tried to have fun. Something about my attitude towards the babies made her never mention it, she didn't even glance at my stomach, as if they weren't there. But Daniella made sure she pushed the trolley, made sure she bought me extra food, and I wondered if Reece knew if she was with me.

"Does Reece know you're here?" I asked her when we sat down for a drink before we headed back for the ferry, the night starting to fall outside, the temptation to go for another movie overwhelming me.

"No." She replied, a tense smile at the name. "I vanished too. Less questions that way."

"They're going to be angry with us for it." I muttered, stirring the iced decaf coffee, and she didn't answer, just nodded sharply.

"I felt smothered." She said quieter, eyes on her coffee, moving the ice cream around the top.

"Why did you do it?" I asked. Finally, I asked, the memory of Reece's hurt face in my head.

"I don't know. Reece doesn't ….I don't feel anything physically unless it's rough. Like that. I can't get into it. I tried to tell him and he didn't understand." She said it so quietly I barely heard her, her eyes on the drink still. "He said he'd never hurt me and it would pass."

"You don't think it will?"

"I don't know." Daniella admitted quietly. "But I... if I faked it, that isn't any better, is it? I tried to tell him. In the end he only believed it when he saw it. I tried to let him down easily. I don't know how you can be like that with Nick."

"I don't either." I admitted, and Daniella's eyes shot up to mine. "It just happens. I thought I'd never want sex again."

"You had it pretty fast though. Did he for-"

"_No_." I saw the look on her face, saw the conclusion there, and shook my head. "Not at all. Encouraged, maybe, but it was me who ...well, I don't know. Spent my whole life thinking I'd be a virgin till marriage, wait for that one life partner, then I met Nick and by the third day I wanted him to be the first."

"But you _are_ married now. Maybe you knew."

"Maybe. When you knew Reece before..."

Daniella flinched and I went quiet, as if the memory of that hurt her, and she sipped her coffee slowly. It took her a long time to answer. "It was a different thing then. I think I liked that he was stronger than he meant to be."

"Stronger?"

"Rougher. Human and a werewolf, he was rough so easily, and I think I liked it then too. It made me feel like I was really wanted by him. Now he's so gentle." She scowled somewhat, stabbing at the ice cream. "Like I'll break."

"Did you tell him?"

Daniella nodded. "Same answer. He'd never hurt me and it was the rape. Even if it was the rape, I still deserve to ...ah. Nevermind."

To feel good. The words hung in the air, the understanding of what she was trying to say there, and I stared at her as she stared at anything but me. Their sex life had changed and he wasn't willing to change to go with her.

"Is he your mate?"

"I don't know." The words made Daniella's lips purse together. After a while, she said, "You know Nick's your mate. How?"

"His smell, his eyes, everything. I don't know. I just know he's my mate." Maybe Reece wasn't her mate then. I didn't know if she didn't. Reece was convinced though. "Sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay. I'd rather you ask me than just go off what he says." She muttered, the anger there for a moment, and then Daniella drank again. "Want to see another movie before we go back?"

We ended up renting movies and going back instead, as it was almost nine by the time we got to the ferry, and nine thirty after the ferry had gotten to the island. The two of us sat there, eating popcorn, watching old movies. She'd insisted that I watch the old Marie Antoinette from the nineteen thirties.

I thought I'd fall asleep but instead, I sat there the entire movie, stunned by the movie. The sets, the costumes, the actresses. I loved it, how the actors and actresses all had a natural beauty, natural noses, faces, talent, bodies, not a trace of plastic surgery or botex in sight. And it made them all the more beautiful to me. Why I'd avoided movies before 'modern times', I had no clue, but it was a beautiful film that had us both crying by the end.

I could see she regretted picking it, at the end, when I was seeing the kids and the grief and ...my own grief returning, the awareness of it coming back, and sympathy for her just as much.

We spent the next week watching movies, eating, and pretending that we hadn't abandoned our pack, even though I knew Daniella still had her phone. The temptation to text Reece, when she kept giving that scowl he provoked, kept arising everytime she lifted that damn phone. I'd come here to avoid them and be pregnant, get it done, but ...they kept tormenting me in sleep. And in movies. I saw Nick in every damn movie, somehow, and we ended up avoiding anything that had romance or drama. That left kid's movies, horror, and trashy science fiction movies that usually had girls playing the roles that horny teenage guys wanted to see. Half naked roles, or two girls making out, or something else silly.

After that though, she couldn't stand the relaxation, and vanished off to Brisbane. Daniella wasn't kidding about staying in Brisbane a lot. She stayed there more than she stayed on the island, though she seemed to need to be near me at least once a week, where as I almost looked forward to the moment she was gone again. I worried about her ...but some days it was a struggle just to get out of bed. There was no energy left to worry.

Jeremy sometimes tried to do that dream thing but I resisted it. I'd made up my mind. The less attached they got to this pregnancy, the better, and I had to face the reality of it. I was the incubator. That was it. They wouldn't even see my face.

Deep down I knew what it was. It was depression. I was grieving for a loss I knew I had to do. But I didn't know what to do, except eat when I felt hungry, sleep most of the time, and shop occasionally to put more food in the fridge. And, once a week, run. Macleay Island had an area of bush large enough for me to get away with it as long as I was careful. I felt guilty, unhappy, and then guilty about being unhappy. This had been a choice, I'd known I'd have to give them up, knew that I had to protect the pack... but nothing I could tell myself made the choice any easier.

Some part of me wished that Demetruis would just put me in a coma till the birth. Make it easier.

In some ways, the life I lived there, it was a coma. I barely talked, walked around like a zombie when there wasn't enough food, and slept more than most people would. I watched movies, ate fudge and Vegemite, and cried. It was pathetic, some part of me kept telling me off for being so weak, but it was the only way I could do it.

I didn't watch American movies anymore. The sound of their voices would trigger another crying fit. I didn't drink or eat American brands, which as it turned out, was quite a lot of what was on offer. And, embarrassingly, I listened to the same damn Linkin Park song over and over- 'What I've done'. That or Apocaylptica.

The months drifted past. Food was delivered, I suspected from Demetruis, and after trying to ignore it a few days and live on pasta and pasta sauce, I gave in and ate it. It was really good food, and there was a lot of it, as if he knew that I needed more than most. It sustained me and I didn't risk hunger or attacking the humans.

Sometimes, I thought I saw Nick, Jeremy, Antonio, Clayton. Or Reece. Elena. I'd see them on the streets, feel that ache that was more than depression, a loneliness that came with being so far from the people who were my pack. But they were strangers, every time, humans. Sometimes it felt like a dream. I felt like I was going mad, every time I saw someone walk like Nick, or give me a scowl that was a shadow of Clayton's scowl, feel my heart break all over again. Hear an American accent that tore at me.

Daniella came back, every few weeks, but the peace of the islands bored her too much to stay. She would leave me with things to do, movies, or books, but I was getting less and less interested in anything. Daniella returned to Andrew after a while, bored by Brisbane, and then let me know she was going back to America and wouldn't tell them where I was. I suspected she knew I was unhappy. But what could she do? Nothing.

Days seemed to drag by. Sometimes I'd sit there, on the porch, watching the sea and it'd seem like hours when I'd only been there half an hour. Other days flew by, and I could sit there all day, so lost in the depression that I didn't notice that it was already getting dark. When I needed money, I went into Brisbane, withdrew more, and sent them a letter. All it said was: "I'll fine."

Summer turned into autumn, which meant nothing in the sub-tropics, and I started to get closer to the point where I would give birth. I knew it, deep down, felt it as keenly as I felt the absence of my pack, felt the urge to nest and set up a nursery for babies that'd never see it.

Then one day, midway through May, almost exactly on thirty eight weeks, it was time.

I called Demetruis, packed my things up, and got onto the passenger ferry. A car was waiting. It took me south, towards the Gold Coast, and bit by bit the last bits of me broke as I knew. This was it. The last time I'd feel them. The labour pains were almost a relief, a break from the hurt, and by the time I was in a surgical room with Demetruis's employees, I was numb. Overloaded. They didn't even wait for me to give birth- I was drugged up, body numbed from the waist down, and they performed a c-section. He didn't want to risk a single thing going wrong for them.

I lay there, on the table, hearing them speak softly as they cut. Even up to this point, even up to now, some part of me had been waiting for Nick.

The cry of one of the babies, it shattered any belief that he'd come, and I watched as a small body was wheeled out of the room. I shut my eyes, trying to not cry in front of Demetruis, trying to keep my face passive. Another baby, another squeal and protesting cry, and then it was done. They were gone, he was gone after them, and I lay there quietly. No glamour spell this time. Just the final reality of what I'd agreed to.

I wanted to die. I wanted to bleed out, my eyes squeezing shut, as they did a good job fixing my body up, the job only the best surgeons could do. I wasn't going to die, not physically, but ...some part of me broke.

I must have passed out, because when I woke, I was in recovery. Demetruis was there, the babies weren't, I couldn't smell them. He would come with me to America tomorrow, the promised cure and information would be awaiting us, and he asked for names. It was a surprising request, one I hadn't expected, but ...

"Rose-ella and Reece." I told him. He wrote them down, didn't complain, and left the room again. At least, if they couldn't have me, they could take our names. Rose-Ella, after the Australian bird, and Reece... after he'd been so good to me. At least they could take something away of mine.

The next day, I vomited, I tried to heal, and I swam in the relief of morphine. Never mind that I wanted to avoid it. It helped, it helped block out all the pain on every level, and I clung to the need maybe longer than I had to. When I asked him for morphine, he smiled, a smile that made my blood run cold again. I found myself given enough of it to last for months.

After a week, I was taken back to the house on the island, refusing to fly to America yet, still swimming in morphine, and collapsed into the bed on my side, my stomach empty, my heart shattered.

* * *

><p>I dreamed of home, when I got back, I crawled onto the bed and shut my eyes. I dreamed it was dusty, that there were cobwebs all over the building, and that the fridge was empty. I dreamt that Jeremy was in there, waiting for me, and I didn't reject him.<p>

He looked tired. Tired again? Almost surprised to see me standing there, as if he'd given up on it months before, and he stared at me as I sat down and curled up on my side.

"Where are you?"

He asked this several times. I told him I was far away. That there was a cure coming. They would be safe now. I told him other things, about the babies, the birth, everything, the lucid dream a comfort to me as he sat there quietly and listened.

The impact of what I'd had to give for it, the pain of that exchange, it shattered the dream and instead I went into nightmares. Other things, other places, dreaming of chasing my pack but always alone, of Nick so close I could smell him but not see him, and that room. Over and over and over. That room, with those babies, and the squeals that were the first and last things I'd ever hear from them. The cure would change a lot of things, I hoped, but I wasn't going to be there to see it.

I knew at some point the cure had to be taken to Stonehaven. At some point I had to go home and really tell them. But I lay there, ignoring the food, changing inside only, using the pain killer as desperately as I'd once rejected it. It was pathetic, how weak I'd gotten, I knew that. But I needed the morphine and some part of me had gotten too tired to care.

It didn't matter.

Two weeks alone, I ate what was left in the cupboard, cleaned out the fridge, ate and slept, changing only to sit in the house and tremble. Morphine filled in time. Weight vanished, my body healed, but I couldn't leave the house. Online banking made the landlady happy. I left the bags of baby things t hat had been donated over the last few months to the op shop on the island. No one asked me where the babies were, no one really saw me, but they probably assumed something had gone terribly wrong.

Truth was, as much as I longed to see the pack, I couldn't bear to face them or tell them what I'd done. I regretted it, and I was stubborn about it at the same time, and was so confused about the two conflicting reactions that facing the pack was too much. I'd sold my children and didn't deserve to see the triplets now. I'd saved the pack, unless he'd tricked me, and I didn't have the strength to find out.

Sometime after I arrived, I ran out of food, though I wasn't sure how much time had passed. Two weeks? A month? It was winter outside, I suspected, because it had cooled down and the sky was grey more often than not.

I hid, curled up in the house like a wounded animal, clutching to the last of the morphine as if it was more precious than life itself. It was going to run out soon. I didn't know what I'd do when it did that. It made me feel desperate, desperate for the release it gave me, the freedom from the agony.

Someone was outside. Knocking. I didn't answer. I knew I had gone mad then, knew it when I heard voices that sounded like they'd come right out of my nightmares, and stayed quiet in the room till they went away.

The next day, the nightmare voices was back, and I ignored them. Instead, I stared at the last of the drug, knew that no matter how long I waited, I'd never have the strength to return, and gave up trying. It was better this way.

When I next used it, I filled it all up, and tried to get it all in. Maybe this would make it go away.

* * *

><p>I woke up, arms and legs tied, somewhere else. Panic flooded me, blinding panic, as I tried to free myself. It wasn't working. The bindings were strong, the smell of clean sheets under me, and all I could think about was that the morphine was gone.<p>

How stupid, that was the first thing that scared me, but it did. It was gone. I needed it again, my body _screamed_ for it, but it was gone.

Struggling, I tried to free myself. I struggled hard, trying to snap the chains or the bed, not caring how much noise I made. Feet came into the room, a face straight from my nightmares, Reece coming down, and he grabbed me with as much strength as any werewolf should have. He'd never gotten sick or he'd been cured. Or maybe I was just really fucking weak without the drug. I didn't know which one and didn't care.

"Calm down. It's all right."

"I need it." It didn't matter how much shock or disgust he showed, I ignored his face, I tried to get myself free so I could get it. "Please. Please, Reece, please, give me some. Just a little."

"Guess I was right." I saw disappointed there, disappointed in me, as he realised that I was addicted again. "You're not having any. There's nothing left. I tipped it down the sink."

A keen of grief, one so alien that it took me a moment to realise it was me, filled the basement. Then desperation. I needed it. I _needed_ it more than I needed anything. "You have to get more. Please."

"No." He growled, sudden, the anger in it shocking me. "No more."

I shut my eyes, tried to shut the memory of them out, of seeing them carried away as their cried, not even knowing which was born first. He got his heirs. "The cure. Is it used?"

Reece didn't answer.

"It cures us. Use it. Please." I pleaded. Maybe there was a drop. One last drop. "On everyone. Cure everyone and get me morphine. _Please_."

"You're not getting any morphine. Not now, not tomorrow, never again. I don't know how you got so much." He let go of me. "Where are the babies, Anne?"

I couldn't answer him. I shut my eyes again, twisting away, and heard Reece sigh.

"Nick, you can come now."

I flinched, hearing familiar feet, the scent crash into me, Nick's scent. Nick's panic. Nick's fear, like a cloud, sinking over me. It hurt to feel him this scared. With a soft moan of pain, I tried to ignore Nick's gentle hands, tried to ignore the flood of warmth and love that broke through the barriers that kept him out, or the comfort in knowing that my mate had found me. Finally.

Instead of face him, I kept my eyes shut, shutting out his questions, forcing a change to happen. The restraints were gotten off, the two backing off, but I just crawled into the corner and whimpered, eyes shut, tail tucked under me.

A warm body, a wet nose, the gentle whuff of lungs breathing me in, and I knew Nick had changed. I felt him press against me, trembling, felt his muzzle rub against my neck, and leaned against him. No denying him when I was changed, like this, every instinct screamed at me to trust my mate. To let him protect me while I was hurt.

We lay there, side by side, Reece throwing some food into the room, and Nick gave me the food as he sat and 'guarded'. I craved charcoal and when I'd changed back, I found the craving came with me. I lay there on my back, a thin sheet across me, eyes shut as Nick sat beside me.

"Why are you here?" I asked, voice strange after not using it so long,

Nick didn't answer. He kept one hand on me, eyes going around the messy room, taking in the mess I'd been too unhappy to clear away. He knew me well enough to know the messier the house, the worse I felt, and … it was a disaster in this place. There was food disintegrating in the fridge.

"When? How?" I tried again.

Nick's brown eyes met mine. For a while we stared at each other and I understood. He didn't need to answer me, I knew exactly why and how, because if it was the other way around... I would have known. I would have felt it.

He leaned down to kiss me, so tender and gentle, that I burst into tears again, which Nick ignored. He didn't push for answers. Not yet. We knew that I had to do something else far worse first. Withdraw from the morphine.

The detoxification from the morphine was worse than the first time, except that this time, Reece was right there the whole time, Jeremy and Amar on the phone day or night, and Nick was beside him. And they came with medication. I knew it was the best thing, I knew that it what I wanted, but the next week was a nightmare. Nick was there the entire time. It was like the fever, all over again, and it was agony. I was aware that I begged, over and over, for them to just give me a little. Make it easier. But they refused, and slowly it eased again. I stopped vomiting, my body stopped aching, my heart rate slowed, body cooling as the sweating stopped. Slowly, although the need for it didn't leave me, my body started to recover.

Nick didn't speak. Not once, not a single word, he just sat there, more aware of what was going on than any of them, knowing when I had to vomit, or my body ached, knowing. I suggested he go home, once, and the look I got for that suggestion made it clear that nothing I suggested he was going to take seriously if it involved that.

Then one day, I woke, and I knew my body had gotten over the worst of it. Nick was beside me, an arm over me, his chest rising and falling slowly. His eyes were shut but I knew he was awake, I knew he'd woken the second I did, the fear in him not allowing him to sleep if I wasn't.

"He took them."

Nick's body stiffened but he didn't open his eyes.

"In exchange for the cure. Demetruis took them. They were his." I lay there, eyes going up, unable to look at him now. Grief flooded through me again. They were mine too, no matter how they'd been conceived, and …

Nick shifted onto his side, leaning across to kiss me with that same tender kiss, his hand brushing across my face.

"We know."

"What?" The shock this statement caused, it snapped me out of the grief, as he stared solemnly down at me. "How?"

"You told Jeremy. When he contacted you in your dreams, you told him everything. I guess you didn't know it was real." Nick's face twisted, his own anger and hurt, but it wasn't directed at me.

I flopped forward, forehead finding his shoulder. Nick's hands stroked my arms gently, his own grief and regret mixed with mine, as he added, "I was just trying to find out what you couldn't tell me. I didn't mean to leave you alone like that."

"He said that if I told anyone, he'd give the cure to the mutts and let them ..." I didn't need to say it. Nick swore, his hands tensing, and I heard the sound of someone tense in the doorway. Reece had been listening and I knew that, deep down, knew he'd heard every word too. He glanced at Nick with a look that suggested he was angry with him, even now, as if he'd noticed at Christmas too. But he didn't say a word.

Nick lifted me up, suddenly, surprising me. "Where's the shower?"

We showered, the two of us as fucked over physically as the other, sharing the pain more deeply than maybe was healthy.

"When do you want to go home?"

I didn't know. I didn't answer, as we stood there in the tiny shower, using the soap he'd brought. He was strong, the cure had worked on him, and I wondered how many others were cured. The mutts? Would they cure them? I didn't know. The cure was also only for werewolves. I didn't know or ask what about the rest, and I felt terrible, wondering if he'd bribed them into some other agreement for that one.

"How did you find me here?"

"I don't know. Daniella said you were on the island but I didn't know where you lived. Then Reece got into her bank account and saw she'd been sending all this food here." That shocked me. All that food had been from her, not from Demetruis? She'd been trying to take care of me. "You need to go outside more, so I can smell your scent, not hide indoors. There was no food in your cupboard." He shook his head, reaching up to run his fingers through the tangles in the wet hair, ignoring my cringes as he tried to get it free. "I kept coming back to this house, much to Reece's annoyance, but ...then I knew you were doing something stupid."

Oh shit. I'd forgotten. I had tried to kill myself.

"Did I ..."

"You didn't. I smashed the window, yanked it out of your arm, and tipped it down the sink." He growled softly. "We fed you charcoal just in case. Apparently it's good for that."

He showed me when we were done, showed me everyone at home grainy mobile photos on his phone. And when he called them, I flinched, expecting... I didn't know. But Matt answered and he did not sound upset that I'd run off. He knew the whole story and he was one hundred percent strong again. He was actually sounding kind of proud, much to my amazement and I burst into tears, struggling with the emotion of hearing his voice again, the pride and love there. He was so young and so... good. Antonio was there too, his voice just making it worse, and no one seemed angry. At least not with me. I got scolded though, the loving gentle scold a parent gave a silly child, reminded over and over that I could trust them. Antonio seemed to understand why I had to stay quiet though.

Or maybe he could hear me crying and whatever harsher words he'd had planned for me were gone. I didn't know.

"Come home." Nick said, softly, his chin on my shoulder as the call ended. "Please."

"I don't know if I can yet." I flinched when I saw the triplets and shut my eyes. I'd abandoned them all for this.

"No one's angry." Nick tried to reassure me. "No one."

"I didn't want to lie to you."

He tensed. "I know. I knew then. I just ...knew something was upsetting you. It was bothering me. I was trying to find out what without getting you stressed. _Come home_."

I didn't answer and he didn't push it. Some part of me wasn't ready to leave the house yet, body still struggling with the drug, and Reece stayed close by as I continued to have reactions. He didn't scold me or tell me off, not for the drug use, not for leaving, none of it. Elena didn't either. She said the same thing Nick had, that no one was upset, and that I could come back whenever I was ready to. She did tell me off, for leaving without a note, she was not happy about it. I could have at least told her where I was going, she'd told me, and she would have kept it quiet for me.

Nick amused himself with the island's version of shopping, clearly finding the 'get on a ferry and go to a mall on the mainland' idea amusing, particularly as the granny trolley was too low for his height. And he went to the pub more than once, once he was convinced that I was recovering, unable to resist an 'Australian pub'. It was really just a bunch of old regulars drinking beer, watching the races, and gambling on it. The pub had good meals though. He brought them home, sometimes, convincing the ladies in the kitchen to make it takeaway when it usually wasn't.

While he did that, I was sick. I shook, I vomited, I pleaded for the drugs again, my body felt like it'd been hit by a truck , the agony of the drugs leaving my system as messed up as the agony that came with the babies being taken away. My body changed with no warning, over and over and over, the wolf trying to deal with the physical torment in the only way it knew how. Jeremy kept me in the room though and I was in control enough to not go nuts.

Finally, when I could go a day without vomiting or having a side effect of the withdrawal that didn't leave me in bed for hours, I knew. It was time to go back.

We went for dinner at the bowls club this time, sitting there and watching the boats come and go, Reece and Nick close to me as I tested my instincts on a crowded place. I told them there, as we drank the cold beer, ate the dinner, that it was time. Neither Nick or Jeremy really seemed surprised.

We stayed close to each other the trip back, Nick's arm brushing across mine, or a hand sneaking over, unable to let me out of his sight. Not just that, but I was still sick, and it was a very long trip back. Two days, and three planes of this, and I was exhausted again.

Deep down, I felt guilty, guilty that they'd had to come save me. Come help me. I didn't want help, I didn't want to be weak, but … I had to accept it. Sometimes I needed help. And trying to be strong on my own had just made me worse, not better. Reece had to go to New York, had to go back to work for a while, and he let us go on without him.

We sat in the taxi from the last airport, Nick beside me, an arm over me as we came closer to Stonehaven. The smell of the warm land, the forests whisking in through the open window, the land that was both alien and familiar, it made me shiver against Nick. Not entirely with dread, either, more of a sense of 'finally. I'm finally coming home'. Whatever human ideas I'd had about running away did not match the wolf side of me whatsoever.

"You okay?" Nick murmured against my ear.

"Will they be angry at me for being gone?" I meant the triplets. Angry may have been the wrong word. They might not have understood though, understood where I'd gone, and I wasn't sure if they'd even know me when I got back.

He wasn't sure, I felt him hesitate, but he said anyway, "Not for long, if at all."

"Matt's not angry?"

"He thinks you're a hero. Going and getting the cure like that." Nick snorted. "Kept telling me on the phone to stop making you cry."

We got out of the taxi at the gates. Jeremy was waiting, his calm energy and smell washing over me, and while he was probably angry at me... he didn't tell me off. Instead, he checked me then and there inside the gates, checking to see if I could walk the distance back. When it was clear I'd survive he relaxed somewhat, but he got something else out first, something on his mind.

"Post-natal depression isn't uncommon so tell me if you struggle. We'll find a way to make it easier. I don't want to risk you falling back onto that addiction to cope." Neither of us spoke, for a few minutes, as Jeremy waited patiently. Serving as the pack medic meant that he knew, and probably wasn't going to let up till I admitted I had it, and he still had that 'alpha' thing he couldn't let go of if Elena wasn't around. But he was right. It _was_ depression. It was that illness, it wasn't entirely because I'd lost my mind, it was a natural biological reaction to the stress. There. Logic reason. That made it easier for me to face the fact that I kept bursting into tears every few hours and I didn't want to do anything but sleep.

"Okay. So it's probably _that_. Pre-natual too. All over." I said, dryly, and he nodded a fraction.

"I'll see what we can do. If you need the drug, if it gets too much, you call me or Elena first. Or tell Nick and he has to tie you up." He glanced at Nick with such a look that Nick stiffened.

"She panics when she's tied up."

Jeremy didn't ask how Nick knew that. He just responded, calmly, matter-of-factly, "She'll panic if she's needing morphine. It may take a few months before you can really control it. Your changes will probably be erratic too, as they were in the house, so just let them happen as you need to."

I nodded, swallowing, and wished I could make up an excuse for why I'd started again. It had come with the birth, they'd given it to me before I could tell them not to, but I'd asked for it afterwords. A lot of it.

We started up the long driveway, quiet, listening to the night as it peacefully hummed around us. It was summer here again, probably just a few months before the triplets turned three, and I could barely believe that so much of the past year had vanished like that. Illness, disease, and now a cure?

It was too much. It felt wrong, somehow, letting him leave like that. What if he'd made the disease in the first place? It should have been over- the pack was more or less cured. Like I'd wanted. It still felt _wrong_.

Everyone was asleep inside. I didn't know if they knew I was coming or not. We sat in the kitchen, ate quietly, and then the two of us headed for Forestwatch through the bush to be alone for the night. Nick didn't speak a word till we got there.

"You ...okay with me being … I mean, do you want to..." He was unsure, suddenly, as he'd half undressed.

I tugged him onto me, needing the comfort of his body and love, and I felt tension fade from him.

The release, when it came, was more than just the pleasure. He was back here, with me, close, and I felt the last of my barriers and guards fall down. We weren't as good being solitary, even if we could do it, we were pack people. I was more comfortable with him around. Stronger. More confidant. I couldn't deny that, couldn't deny that Nick added something that made me want to _be_ more. Try harder.

"I love you." I whispered against his ear, as he relaxed with me on top of him, and I felt it. His own body relax further, the last of his barriers falling.

"Love you too. I wish you'd trusted me." There was so much hurt there, the lie hurting him even now, but his arms tightened. "You can _trust_ me."

"If I … it would have been too real."

Nick lifted his head and gazed up at me. "You didn't want to give them over, did you?"

I shook my head, eyes squeezing shut as the pain returned. A image pierced my head again. The last time I'd seen them.

"I wasn't sure. You always said you didn't want to have more." He groaned, sitting up, and I sat up with him, my legs wrapping around his waist so we didn't have to surrender the closeness.

"I didn't. I don't. But they were there anyway." I let his smell fill my head, the sound of his heart take over my hearing, the intimacy as important to me as the sex. It wasn't just about the sex. It was about being so close and trusting of someone that I trusted them on every level. I needed Nick to see he could still go those places no one else was permitted. Including into the tender areas of my heart. "They were mine too."

"We'll find a way to locate them." He tried to promise but it was an empty one, even if he believed it, because I knew ...I knew that now that he had them, he would go. "Do you want another child?"

"Now?"

"No." He leaned back, a serious look there, Nick's hand stroking my face. "But do you?"

"One day. Maybe. I'm not sure any more." It hurt just to think about another baby right now, when I knew that there were two newborns out there, two puppies I'd loved even as I tried to ignore them. "I can't answer that right now, Nick."

"Okay." He didn't push.

I stood up, the sheet around me, and Nick got up and followed after me without bothering to cover himself. I went for their nursery, which had been used recently, but was empty right now. Inhaled slowly, a little weak legged as I smelt the triplets, their scent comforting me in a way nothing else had except for Nick's scent. God. They smelt okay. Healthy. The cribs were messy, as if no one had worried about making their beds, and Nick watched amused as I went around, changing their sheets, tidying up the toys.

"You don't want to sleep?"

"I do but … a bit longer in here." I told him and he vanished for a second, returning with a single mattress from one of the other rooms. When I blinked he grinned.

"We'll sleep in here. Okay?"

I smiled, a small smile, which made him light up more. Nick made it while I tidied up, throwing the pillows onto it, and we crowded onto the small bed side by side, tangled around each other, the smell and comfort of our babies filling our nostrils.

"So you're healed now?"

"Not me." He murmured against my neck.

I sat up, shock, and stared at him. "Haven't you ...used it yet?"

"It's for bitten werewolves only." Nick looked sleepily up at me. He looked surprised, taken back, as if he'd thought I knew this. "Didn't you know?" I didn't answer and lay back down, trying to let him sleep, the own horror rushing through me. Nick wasn't fooled. He rolled me onto my back, staring down. "You didn't know, did you?"

I shook my head and his lips pursed slightly. But then Demetruis had never said for all. Had he? He'd implied it, I'd assumed it meant that, but... the strain that affected those who were bitten was a different version of the one that attacked hereditary werewolves and other members of the supernatural world. But he had said. It was for the werewolves only.

"So who is cured?"

"Everyone who's been bitten. I'm still waiting." He smiled, a small tense smile, and I really hadn't ...noticed. Nick had been so damn insistent on carting me around in his arms, carrying me around, and he kept trying to smell me. I'd assumed it meant that he was cured too.

"I'm sorry. I should have realised."

"I thought you knew." Nick leaned back down, nuzzling my neck. "It's okay. You can protect me till we've fixed it. Can't you?"

"Of course I can." I reassured him, eyes wide open as I felt him relax against me, the sadness at the loss replaced by anger. He'd implied that it was a cure for everyone. Or had I mistaken something? No. He'd talked about the _pack_, not just a few members, and I had done it to protect the _entire pack_.

Nick went to sleep before I did. I lay there, trying to get over the sense that something was wrong, my eyes shut. What could be wrong? We'd made a deal and we'd kept to both sides of it. His version of the deal had been manipulated, twisted, and ...now I didn't know what to think.

SPACE

I woke late the next morning, the early summer sun already making the house hot, to the sound of whining and water being splashed in. My head twitched, as I heard the familiar American drawl, Clayton telling the kids to back off till he finished cleaning the pool for them. There was the sound of a hose, a squeal of laughter, and his threat that he'd do it again.

Then another squeal of laughter as he did just that.

"Relax. It's just Clay cleaning the pool." Nick tugged me back down, onto my back, climbing on top of me. He grinned at me. "You're getting cured next."

"I'm already cured." I had forgot that they didn't know. Nick blinked at me.

"What, when?"

"When we made the deal. He did it to prove he had it."

"Why the hell was I being gentle last night then?" He tugged my legs up around him, kicking back with a foot to shut the door, and I inhaled sharply as Nick pinned me down and entered me at the same time, his mouth nipping harder at my skin, the possessiveness not being held back at all now.

It hurt, somewhat, this slightly rough side... but with him, it was okay, it even turned me on. I wrapped my arms around him as we growled and bit each other, claiming each other with the more 'violent' side of our natures, the side that was more wolf than human. Neither of us could speak, at least not with words. For a guy who had lost all his werewolf strength, it was almost impossible to tell, the months of being apart put into it.

Even during it, he kissed me with that tenderness, and our bodies released together, Nick's teeth accidentally breaking skin as my fingernails accidentally broke skin at the same time. We lay there after, panting, barely a few minutes after he'd started, the smell of each other's blood and sweat and fluids filling the air around us.

It may have been strange, that mixture, but it was familiar. It was home.

"I missed you." He had just gotten the words out of his mouth when I heard someone come up the stairs. Nick followed my gaze, understanding what it was I'd heard and tugged the sheets over our head. "Shh. We're not here."

Clayton burst into the room. I felt the edge of the mattress lift, just a fraction, and then suddenly we were tipped onto the floor as Clayton yanked it out from the two of us. "You gonna go get your babies or make some new ones?"

The words stung, and he seemed to realise what he'd said wasn't nice, but I knew he hadn't meant it like that. I tried to smile, and Clay frowned, awkward suddenly.

"Good to see you back."

He wasn't looking at me with that contempt he had at Christmas. It was a relief. I stood up, Nick getting up and moving past me for the bedroom, Clayton's eyes meeting his a moment.

"The triplets are at Stonehaven?" I asked, as I wrapped it around me, and I felt him step closer.

"Shit. Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Yeah. They're over there. We told them you're home and they're bouncing off the walls." He smiled somewhat, a tense smile, the grasp on my arm growing stronger as I didn't pull away. "You got the cure."

"Yeah."

"There's going to be a meet about what to do now. Tomorrow." Clay's eyes stayed in mine, though I struggled to keep eye contact with him. "Not just about it but about the babies you gave up. You can decide if we're going to look for them or not."

I nodded, and moved past him, unable to speak. Clayton didn't pull me back, he let me go, and I showed hurriedly.

In there, I felt my body give into the depression again, and Nick came in after fifteen minutes to sit on the edge of the bath as I sat there, shuddering, body spent from another emotional release.

"If you're not ready to see them, it's okay." He dropped the clean clothes on the bench as he reached over, stroking my wet hair.

"I want to see them."

I made him stand so I could shave him first, an absurd little ritual I loved, and Nick seemed to love it too. His eyes were warm, the affection for me making me feel breathless, and there was that intense hunger back as time went on and his hand snuck up between my legs. I suspected we could have gone at it like bunnies for hours more, if we weren't expected, the intimacy and comfort of each other chasing away the rest of the world better than anything else. Even the morphine didn't do what he could do. He knew what Clayton had said to me, but I told him anyway.

"Do you know what you want to say?"

I shook my head and he didn't press it any more.

The fear that the triplets would be scared, or shy, or forget me, was shattered the second they _screamed_, literally _screamed_, and attached themselves to me. No fooling them. They knew exactly who I was. Matt informed me that he did daily lessons for them, just in case, and then he attacked himself to me too. Like a bunch of puppies latching onto the mother, I thought, and startled them all by crying _again_.

Antonio's comforting bulk sat behind me, his side against my back, as he diverted the toddlers somewhat from getting too overwhelming. His arm snuck around my waist. No words, nothing, just that gesture. He was glad I was back. I knew he'd be worried too.

"Lillian sends her hellos." He said softly. "She's gone home to face the music."

"About you?" I wasn't sure if he knew yet that she hadn't annulled the marriage. It amused me, to think of Antonio as a love struck teenager, marrying his pregnant sweetheart as they ran away from house and home.

"Nick, and myself. Seems her kids aren't taking it that well." He answered and I felt him shrug, trying to brush it off. "She's a tough woman. She can handle them."

I nodded and smiled, the first real smile for months, as Susie popped her head right up into my eyes and informed me that she could go potty alone now.

"No more nappies?"

She shook her head, a big grin, but I heard Antonio mutter something about except at night.

"Their hair has changed so much." I reached up to touch it. Silvery blonde, just after they turned two, golden blonde just before I'd left, and now they were blonde-brown again at the tips. It was amazing. It was beautiful, the effect, but it was a sign that they were never going to be blonde. The eyes were still that stunning clear blue though. Dominic, on the other hand, had not changed a single bit. He still had that dark reddish blonde hair, so much like mine, and warm brown eyes so dark that they were almost black. He smiled at me, mirroring my smile only when he saw it, so much more sensitive to me than the girls who just tumbled and played and barely noticed the tears at all.

"They haven't changed a bit." Nick called from the kitchen. "Don't let the hair fool you."

I laughed softly, agreeing, the three of them with the same personalities they'd had when I'd gone. Lily, the ring leader, Susie following her all over the place, and Dominic calm and incredibly observant, noticing things they never stopped long enough to see. Did I tell them about their little brother and sister? Did I need to tell them? I glanced up at Nick, who was bringing me a ginger beer, and knew that I had to tell them one day. He had siblings who'd grown up never knowing about him, and it'd hurt them all to find the truth out. Maybe one day they'd come back to me.

It felt like it hadn't happened. That it'd been a dream, a horrible dream, and the only reminder that it'd been real was the scar. Even my body had recovered faster than anyone expected. I found out why, when I asked to see the note that came with the delivery, and saw that he'd also gotten a plastic surgeon to repair the 'damage' pregnancy had caused. Out of gratitude.

Maybe after the triplets, I might have almost liked that, but it didn't help me now connect what I'd experienced to reality.

It was almost dinner when we got a call from the town. I saw Elena stiffen, her eyes going to everyone, and I knew something was wrong. She gestured to Antonio and Jeremy and they went outside, Nick following after them, well out of hearing range of all of us.

Matt moved closer, quiet, and very softly, he asked. "Are you sad a lot?"

I nodded and he frowned. He must have noticed on the phone, how I kept bursting into tears, something he'd probably never seen me do before. But his next words shocked me to the core. "Are you going to do suicide?"

How did he know what that was? I stared at him, seeing suddenly that he wasn't the tiny kid I kept thinking he was, that he had brains and was clearly old enough to know a lot more than I gave him credit for. "How did you hear about that?"

"TV. Are you?" The look on his face as he stared at me almost broke my heart all over again. I couldn't tell him that I nearly had tried to do that, shock and horror at my own actions cutting right though the sadness, suddenly seeing in Matt's face exactly what would have happened if I had done that. I was all he had left in the world, even if he had adopted the pack as aunts and uncles, even if he liked to run half-wild around the place like a wolf. It would have devastated him. He'd lost everyone else. It was the same face I saw on him so frequently, when he had been here the first six months, that grief.

"No. No. It's an illness. Depression is like an illness." I reassured him, reaching out, hugging him close. He didn't resist it. I smelt the fear, fear he'd hidden, and shut my eyes. I breathed it all in. Whatever the hell I was suffering... that kind of end wasn't going to make anything easier or better. "I'm not going to commit suicide. Okay?"

"Promise?"

"I _promise_. You watch too much TV." I tried to laugh it off, smile, and he smiled a little then. But he had been so close to the reality that it was one hell of a wake up call to myself.

I felt Nick's eyes find mine, and I met his, seeing something in his expression as he came in. It wasn't good news then.

Pulling toddlers off, Matt getting off as I did, I stood up and followed him into the study where Elena now was.

"What is it?"

"You have to go to town. Alone. There's a car waiting."

"Why?"

"Demetruis is waiting."


	11. Propositions

Demetruis had the twins in the town. I sat frozen as Elena told me the news, "He says that if you go alone, you see them, but if we follow..." Behind her, Clayton scowled, clearly tempted to hit something, but the toddlers were watching us carefully, having followed me like little shadows.

"He has them here?"

"He said he'd not hurt you. He had to discuss their future with you." Elena said quietly from behind Nick. But she didn't know. Neither of us really knew.

"I should go then. Shouldn't I?"

"You're their mother. I'm not going to order you to do something." She replied, reaching out. "I'm sorry that we didn't get to discuss this at the meet first. Did you want to see them again?"

I nodded, a sharp nod, eyes squeezing shut a moment as I felt her inhale slowly.

"Call us. Any problems. Call us. We're not going to be in town but we'll be just on the outside." Clayton came out, keys in hand. "We agreed to not go in town but we'll be a few minutes outside. Lucas is waiting outside town now."

"Nick?"

He hadn't spoken. I could see it, he didn't want me to get into the car, he didn't want me to risk myself so fast, but ...Nick wasn't going to tell me what to do either.

I got into the car and let the man who'd broken my heart take me back into his life.

Demetruis did not have the children. He'd seen of the pack in town, apparently, and that shattered the agreement. But he didn't harm me either, reassuring me that there were other chances, offering a coffee in the darkening night. We sat there, my anger and hurt that they weren't there mixing with anger at him, as he sipped his drink casually. Neither of us spoke for a while.

"Why am I here if you didn't want me to see them?"

"To ensure you were recovering." That wasn't it, I suspected, but his eyes went over me. "You have colour back."

"I am fine."

"Did you require more morphine?" Demetruis leaned down, opening a case, and I froze as I saw what it was.

An entire box of the stuff.

He didn't even wait for me to accept it. Demetruis stood up, pushing it into my hands, and headed outside. I heard him say something about being in contact again but it was drowned out by the weight of the chemicals in my arms.

I sat in the car, numb, my mind battling with the need for this chemical. It made no sense. I didn't want to be drugged up, I didn't want to be addicted to this stuff, but … the disappointment, the anger, that he'd lured me out here with the offer of seeing the twins and then to get nothing...

Every fibre of my body, of my brain, it pleaded for this. Just a little. Just a _tiny bit_.

I was still staring at it when we pulled up outside the gates and stood there as the car pulled away. No one was waiting for me. They were probably still waiting outside the town.

It was perfect, in other words, the perfect chance to get it into the house and hide it. Surely they wouldn't notice. Surely I could use it secretly. Just to calm down the depression, just to release the pain a little, to endure the loss of my babies.

I wandered down the driveway, the case ten pounds heavier than it actually was, heart sinking as I was aware that I was already deciding what to do with it. How to hide it. How to use it without being seen. No one was at Forestwatch, no one was there to stop it, and I stared at it as I sat at the kitchen table.

The image of the hospital room, as they carried the babies away, it fixed in my mind. This drug promised to make that image go away. So much morphine. Deep down, deep under the depression and hurt, I felt angry at Demetruis for giving this to me. He hadn't given it for pain relief or because of the surgery. He knew, maybe had always known, that his son used it to control me for months.

Was this about control?

Maybe it was. Some part of me didn't care.

Sleep came, as I stared at it, a heavy sleep that I couldn't resist. Whatever I'd do with it could wait.

* * *

><p>A hard slap knocked me back into reality, Clayton's face white with fury as he stared at me, bending over me. I'd slumped onto the floor, apparently, and gone to sleep there. Where was I? Stonehaven? Had I gone to Stonehaven? I wasn't even sure any more. Maybe I <em>had<em> come here instead of going to Forestwatch.

"Clay." Jeremy grabbed onto him, as he went to slap me again. "She's awake."

"I ain't hitting her to wake her up." He hit me again, so hard that even Nick flinched. It was a brutal thing, maybe, to humans... but he was the pack enforcer now, not Clayton, and he'd caught me. "Come with me." Clayton yanked me up, angry, and made me watch as Nick emptied each bottle down the sink, one hand keeping my head pointing in the right direction. "Where did you get that shit?"

I watched, numb, but there was a sense of terrible loss as I saw Nick destroy it. Every last bottle. He wasn't looking at me, his hand shaking as he emptied every last bottle. He looked so afraid.

"Smell it, Clayton." Jeremy said, softly, calm. "Smell the case. She's still too drugged to ..."

Clayton dropped me, or would have, but Nick was fast to catch me. He knelt down, eyes still avoiding mine, and I shut my eyes. God. What did I do that for? I'd just started to get over it properly.

"Gone." I said, finally, trying to open my eyes again. When I did, I blinked, the room different. I was in the basement now, in Stonehaven, and the cage door was shut. The panic that'd normally have come didn't. I lay there, staring at the door, as it hit me. It was all gone again. Every last drop.

"You used it again." Nick's voice came from beside me, his voice soft, and there was a hurt there.

"He didn't have them."

There was a long drawn out sigh. Nick flopped his head on my chest. There was so much hurt there, at this assumption that I'd used it, that it angered me for a second. Then I remembered that I had wanted to use it. Somehow, for some reason, I'd just passed out too fast to attempt it.

"I didn't use it." I told him softly, suddenly, some memory of it coming back. "I didn't. He gave it to me but ...I just sat there staring at it."

Nick's head lifted, as I shut my eyes, reaching up to rub my aching head. Or tried to. My arms were held down.

"I need aspirin. If you don't believe me, smell the inside. Or look at my arms. I didn't touch it."

"Clay, what's inside the syringe?" Nick spoke, and I saw him then, the big guy outside. He stood up and headed upstairs without a word. Nick's hands brushed across my arms, sliding the sleeves up, fingers trembling. There was nothing there, of course, but I held my breath until both arms were seen. Neither had a mark on them.

When he came back, there was something there, something in his face that was less angry. "It was empty. Nothing was in it. No chemicals. She's telling the truth."

"Told you." I muttered. Shut my eyes, fell asleep again, floating away even as they spoke at me. Whatever reason I needed to sleep, it had nothing to do with the morphine.

I woke mid-vomit. It was the strangest thing, one minute floating around in peace, suddenly then bent over a basin, the acid burning my throat, the basin already half filled with the nasty smelling stuff. Some of it was black.

"Here, drink. Try to keep it down." Jeremy gave me a glass, something that smelt like charcoal, and he held it at my lips till I drank. I didn't ask him how he knew I was awake, suddenly, just did what he told me.

"What?" I asked, making a face at the texture of the water, somehow more lucid than before. We were still downstairs but the cage door was open.

"Sedative, probably." He was relieved, I could see it, because a sedative was a much easier problem than starting the morphine thing all over again. "The charcoal will help get rid of it."

"Why would he do that?" I knew why though. For the same reason he'd offered me the morphine. To keep me calm, controlled, and _safe_. Jeremy didn't answer. "Is Nick ok?"

"Now that he knows it wasn't the morphine, yes." He replied, soft. "We sent him upstairs to have a sleep."

"I almost used it." I said, quietly, lying back as I shut my eyes. "I might have if I didn't fall asleep."

"Yes, but you didn't. Focus on that." Jeremy's voice followed me as I floated away again, a faint pride there almost, as if he wasn't angry at all.

Everything was back to normal after a few days and I felt terrible when I found out they'd delayed the Meet till I recovered. Jeremy was probably right, he'd probably sedated me, as a precaution. He had taken my babies, after all, maybe he was concerned. Worried I'd hit him. Some part of me would have loved to do that.

I made Nick check though, check that I hadn't been touched, even if my own nose knew that it hadn't happened. He found nothing either. No marks, no scents that I could smell, no bruises, I was exactly as 'he'd left me'.

But Demetruis contacted me again within a few days to apologise. His body guard had slipped a sedative, apparently, it was entirely out of his hands. Funny how it was always someone else's fault. Never his.

He asked me to come back, to discuss the twins, and I went back. This time, they stayed within sight, using a hotel to watch us. Lucas was with them, hiding them, Paige joining him. Elena was not going to take another risk like that again.

Demetruis ordered himself a coffee, lips twitching as I refused to let him get one. Instead, I got one myself, watching it getting made from start to finish, and only when that was done did he get onto his point. "You have been very helpful to me over the past few months, at great cost to yourself physically. I am glad we chose to make the agreement that benefited us both."

"You didn't tell me it was for the bitten werewolves only." I growled softly, despite my attempt to stay calm, and he raised an eyebrow.

"I specifically said it would only cure werewolves. I assumed that, as the Cabal know that the more common strain affects all species, not just werewolves, you would know I could only offer the cure for the bitten strain. That was your misunderstanding, not my lie." He replied casually. "Would you like some cake?"

"No. Why am I here?"

"I'm getting to that." He ordered the cake and went back to sipping the drink, casually, the dark summer night surprisingly quiet for this area of town "You see, I am not keen on putting all my eggs in one basket. I intend on having more children."

"I'm not doing that again." I tried to not crush the coffee mug under my hand as he said that.

"No, and I would see more genetic material from you as 'eggs in one basket'. I am in possession of a different medicine. One that is able to restore supernatural gifts, if taken, and my scientists are close to the actual cure. I believe many of your pack, your son included, are in need of this, now that the mutts are buying it from me."

They were... what? My heart froze at that. He smiled, so pleasant, but there was the distinctive threat there now. He was threatening us again.

"They are very eager to pay to return to normal. I offer you this medicine for free for your own pack and a percentage of the sales, which are more than profitable, in exchange for a child of a different genetic heritage."

"Who?"

"Elena. Your alpha."

I almost spat out the coffee as he said that. "You think I can just ...negotiate on behalf of Elena,t trade her eggs? You want me to rent Elena's _womb_ to you?" I laughed. I couldn't help it, the dry laugh there as I tried to get this into my head.

"More or less. Yes. You are a hypnotherapist Convince her to allow it one way or another and I will be satisfied with her eggs, if she is unable or unwilling to carry the child I will find a woman to carry the embryos." He didn't expect me to say no, again, but this time I was too furious and upset that my babies weren't here to let him get away with it again. My body? Sure. I could probably be manipulated into using it to protect the pack. But put Elena's body at risk? Not a chance.

"I have a counter proposal."

"Yes?" He didn't seem interested, but his eyes opened a little more, that intimidating stare fixed on me a little more.

"You give me joint custody of the twins and I will arrange for you to have a meeting with the Alpha-" I refused to call Elena by her name when dealing with this bastard "-to negotiate rental of her womb with her _directly_. A privilege most mutts don't get."

"Joint custody?" He seemed amused, suddenly. "Why would I accept that instead?"

"They are werewolves and require a woman to imprint on as a mothering figure. I am their mother and make the best one you could find, but you're running out of time, and they will not accept any other mother. That's why your sons didn't grow strong- they had the wrong balance." It was a outright lie, more or less, I was bullshitting. But maybe it wasn't total bullshit. Would they have treated women like that if they had a mother?

"Go on."

In other words, he wanted me to keep bullshitting. "... I also don't expect to be paid, unlike a nanny, and they will grow up with the best role models in the werewolf world. This would mean that they both have a balanced upbringing- you, with the sorcery, and the pack adopting them and ensuring their protection and place in the world as adults. They would also be more psychologically balanced and less likely to become fucked up like your older sons." I tried to keep that calm cold face that Clayton could do so well, that unemotional face. That was a good reason. But I didn't know if I should tell him I loved them. It felt like if I did that, if I put my heart into the bargain, he'd use it against me. Now _or_ in the future.

"Interesting points made. Valid, also, for I am admittedly very grateful to my own mother's involvement in my life, as you well remember." He paused then. I did remember. The ex-alpha had left her to be gassed by the Cabal swat people, and Demetruis had been furious at him. Not just that, but Nick had said that Aaron's mother had cared for him. I couldn't tell if he was actually considering it. "How often would you expect to receive the twins as the joint-parent?"

"Every second week."

"And what school would they go to?"

I didn't know. I didn't even know where the triplets were going yet. "We'll look at schools and decide that when they're older." Truthfully, the idea of discussing anything with this bastard in the future was about as attractive as using sandpaper for toilet paper then going for a swim in the sea, I knew that he'd forced this on me- forced me to get pregnant, forced me to give them to him, everything. But I'd worry about that later. "It's too important to rush now."

His lips curled up in a smile, just the fraction of one. I hated him. I _loathed_ him. He was like a snake, or something nasty, and the idea of letting him have any time with them made me want to throw up. But it was better than never seeing them at all. "And you will side with me on the issue of Elena having a child?"

"No." As his face got icier, I added, "That's not something I could do with my role in the pack. I can a arrange a meeting with the Alpha and I will then stand back and let the two of you discuss it. You don't seem to understand how the pack works- I _do not_ tell the Alpha what to do or think. No one does. But I can bring her here." I saw him open his mouth and added, voice sharper, ignoring the fearful 'What if he doesn't accept?' "This isn't an offer mutts get. They get the pack enforcer and a broken neck if they try to get a meeting with her. I don't know how big in the sorcerer world you are but in this world, you'll get treated like any other mutt who invades on our territory and harms our own." I didn't lower my eyes, didn't blink, as if this was a battle of balls. Like the mutt 'penis measuring' bullshit they did when they were threatening each other. Balls? I vaugely remembered hearing something about that, about how balls were fragile, weak, exposed, where as vaginas could take one hell of a beating. So this was a battle of vaginas?

It was funny, how when I was most stressed, the most bizarre things popped into my head.

He was sitting there, as my brain sprouted out things that tried to make me laugh, and he didn't speak for a while. I could see him sipping the coffee very slowly.

"She _must_ be alone."

"The Alpha is _never_ alone." I said, as his eyes finally came back to mine. "The Alpha is always accompanied by the Pack Protector at all times and always has been. But you won't get the whole pack surrounding you and getting ready to tear you from limb from limb. You won't get my mate here." The last part was a threat. Nick, if he came here, I didn't know how he'd react. But I suspected he wasn't going to be cracking jokes and comparing notes as to how I was in the sack.

"My research suggests your mate is no threat- he takes no active role in punishment as Elena's mate does." Demetruis raised an eyebrow.

"Did your research also add that he crushed a man's skull for trying to rape me? You succeeded on that front. Any of us are a threat if our mate's been hurt." I replied dryly. I didn't mince words now. "You get only the Alpha and the pack protector, instead of the whole pack and whoever Lucas Cortez's father sends-" That, I noticed, caused him to tense and I wondered just how big in the sorcerer world Lucas's father really was, "-and the Alpha will also have Lucas with her to ensure that no spells are used. We don't use spells. It will balance out the meeting."

"How fast can she come?" He asked. He still hadn't agreed to my terms.

"Half an hour at the most." Less. I knew that they were just a two minute walk away. But they'd take a few minutes up there to discuss strategy first, knowing them. Half an hour would give them ten or fifteen minutes Clay would want to deal with the threatening position Elena would have to go into.

He leaned back, thinking, and I felt my heart thud hard against my ribcage. _Please_. I had to see them again. Suddenly, that craving for morphine was nothing, nothing compared to the craving that came with needing to see the twins. Hold them. Smell them for the first time.

"If Elena comes here with _only_ the Pack Protector and Lucas, I agree."

"I can't guarantee she'll agree to your original offer. You'll have to offer your terms to her directly and our agreement stands, regardless of her choice." I reminded him, even though I didn't want to, I had to make sure he understood that I expected the twins no matter what she decided.

"I understand that." He leaned forward. "You will not turn them against their father with hypnosis?"

I stared at him for a moment, expecting him to do that cold laugh or smile, but no. He was deadly serious. I had used it sometimes, on mutts, and it worked surprisingly well. Sometimes more efficiently than on humans. But I'd never expected this man to take it so seriously.

"_No_." I hoped they'd be smart enough to loathe his father all on his very own. It was amazing, how much power Demetruis assumed I had with it, when I was still learning myself. I had to look into it deeper- almost everyone I met scoffed, but witches and sorcerers always seemed in awe of it, rather than mocking. Maybe it had greater hold over the mind of a supernatural. "If the boy has your gift for magic, I want him to be able to control it, and he won't learn from you if he hates you. I want the children to be strong too. You are their biological father and naturally, make the most logical choice for that influence, as I do for the werewolf half. No hypnosis on them."

He nodded slowly. I could see it, the assumption that I was like him, that I would do anything for strength and power too. I would do anything for my pack, my children, strength and power had nothing to do with it.

"Agreed. If she is here within thirty minutes, you will receive the twins every second week, starting today, and we will renegotiate the terms of joint custody when they begin school."

"Agreed."

"Say it out loud." There it was again. That bizarre feeling, like he was doing some spell, some contract.

"If my Alpha is here within thirty minutes, I receive the twins every second week starting today and we will renegotiate terms of joint custody when they begin school."

Again, it felt like shackles closed over me, it made me stiffen and tense. He seemed to tense too. But after a second the sensation relaxed. It felt so final, so done, that it took everything I had in me to not slump in relief. Instead I stood and went to call Elena.

She didn't tell me off, though I suspected she would have liked to, I heard her speak to Lucas and Clayton. Nick had to stay there, everyone had to stay, but they were already getting into the car when I hung up.

It didn't take her thirty minutes. It took them ten minutes, Clayton sped, and when Demetruis saw Clayton, he shot me a look of annoyance.

"You didn't agree to send her mate with her."

"Her mate is the Pack Protector. He's doing his job and will follow her orders over the desire to hit you." I hoped, anyway, though I wouldn't have blamed him if he broke orders. Most likely though he'd stay calm. She was the one in charge now.

Elena gestured for me to go stand some distance away beside Lucas. I stood back and watched across the road with him, as the two spoke at the table, Clayton standing behind Elena, their faces shadowed in the dark. Everyone except Clayton's face, which the light of the coffee shop was hitting, giving us both a clear view of his reaction. It might have been funny, the look on Clayton's face, I guessed when the man had the audacity to say he wanted Elena to bear him a child, if it wasn't for the clear sheer willpower Clayton had to use to not rip his head off then and there.

"You made an agreement with him." Lucas said, quietly, as we waited.

"Yeah."

"It's a spell. You can't break it."

"Can he?"

Lucas shook his head a fraction. "No. But be careful. He agreed to something and will use every thing he can use to manipulate the words to his advantage."

"Like he did with the cure." I muttered. "He said it'd be for only werewolves but he didn't mention that it was a cure only for the bitten strain."

"Exactly. We'll go over the words after." Lucas said softly and concentrated on the older man again.

Elena lasted about two minutes with him. I had only heard a masculine voice, though I'd not heard the words themselves, and then she stood up and waved us both back over.

"We'll discuss this in a week's time." She informed him, just as cold as he was, no room for argument. He nodded and stood up as well. Elena radiated something I'd never seen in her, not at home, a kind of authority and power that even Demetruis struggled to fuck over like he did so easily with me. It probably made him even more determined to get his way.

"The babies." Elena reminded Demetruis. Clayton fixed him with that stare, that stare that made even Demetruis freeze, and he pulled out his phone.

"You have no car seats for them. I can-" Demetruis started.

"Give us the ones you have. Very kind of you." Clayton was taking over now, drawling, relaxed, but every muscle in his legs was tense. He was waiting for an excuse. The man had just insulted the Alpha, his mate, and he had to be calm. Demetruis seemed to know this too. Knew that he was seconds away from Elena's control over Clayton's anger slipping.

"Yes." He agreed, dialled a number, and Elena went to get our car.

I didn't see them, in the dark, I only saw the car seats for newborns. But I smelt them, needing to lean against the back fo a chair as Elena moved them into the car, my legs going weak. Traumatic birth or not, I knew that scent as well as I knew the triplet's scent, these babies... I could smell them and knew they were mine. Bonds, deeper than anything Demetruis understood, wrapped around those babies.

"Don't loose it now. Get in the car." Clayton said, quietly against my ear, so soft that only I'd hear it. He was right. I could loose it when I got home. Right now I had to keep up the badass werewolf logic crap.

Getting into the car, their smell filled the car, filled my nostrils, like a drug. I whined again, quietly, an instinctual response to them. I heard them breathing, heard their little stomachs working on something they must have just been fed, heard their hearts beating slowly. I wished I could see them. But if I turned on a light I might wake them and upset them. They were both asleep, both quiet,and I felt afraid to touch them suddenly. The others piled into the car and we drove away, leaving Demetruis there, with the precious babies.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do." I said, quietly, when we were out of town.

"You got him to speak to the Alpha. That was the right thing to do." Elena replied, glancing back at me, as I sat there. Lucas wasn't far behind in his car. "From now on, if he speaks to you, you tell him to come to me. If he has something to say to you, I'm there. Understood?"

I nodded and she looked at the two small bodies.

"More nappies?" Elena asked, softly, amused. "We better stop and get some food and nappies."

"I don't really care." I didn't. I stared at them, the two babies curled up, that new look and smell all over them. There was plenty of leftover clothing from the triplets. I'd get that shit off them, that stuff that smelt like Demetruis, and put something else on them.

She made me go in with her, as Clayton remained behind with Lucas to guard the children, so that I could 'protect' her. I wasn't really in a state to protect anyone, Elena and Clay knew that, but it worked in snapping me out of the daze somewhat. We went into the Walmart, my first time in there, and I jumped as a woman greeted me.

"Relax." Elena said softly.

Truth was, that would have freaked me out even as a _human_, Australia didn't have Walmarts or greeter people. We shopped fast, and I stared in amazement at the bullets sitting in plain sight. In a shop. In a fricken _shop_. There were bullets on sale, arranged like different sized nails, under locks. Elena nudged me and we tried to hurry, getting a few nappies, clothing, formula, no time to be clucky and go crazy. Just enough. She reminded me that I had enough at Forestwatch too, this was just to make sure, just to make sure they were fed and safe.

We went back outside and headed off again.

When we got to Forestwatch, Elena told me that we'd be all at Stonehaven overnight, so I went inside and got what I could. In the basement we'd stored the triplet's old stuff, clothing, bottles, and I got as much as I could in a bag as she waited, barely able to believe what was happening.

We got to Stonehaven, and I found that there was a crib set up downstairs in the living room, Elena must have called ahead. I followed them inside, the bag in my arms, as they carried the babies in. I felt so stunned, so knocked over, that I had to ask Lucas to check me for spells over and over. But it was reality. I'd won. I'd gotten him to let me be their mother too.

We stared at the pair of babies in the dim light, Nick as awestruck as myself, Antonio beside him. We were so used to the triplets, up, walking, trying to go to the toilet on their own, telling us about themselves, screaming when they wanted something... we'd forgotten what babies this new looked like. I remembered, back when we'd had them, the look on Clayton's face when he'd held them. The look of a man who was almost tempted to try for more kids, that awestruck look, and I understood _why_ now.

They were beautiful. Tiny, dark haired, their hands clenched loosely, Rose, eyes shut gently, blue veins across the pale skin, a dummy abandoned in favour of her own thumb. And Reece, his dummy still in place, with the same translucent skin, the same dark hair, a birthmark on his neck. They were so tiny. I could see Nick falling in love with them, even as he tried to remember how I'd come to carry them, even as he tried to remember how he'd hated them months ago.

"Rose and Reece?" He asked, soft, amused. "Reece will be flattered."

"I didn't know if I'd see them again. I wanted them to have names from Australia."

"Roses are Australian?"

"Rosellas are." I muttered, smiled somewhat, and leaned against him. "It's a bird I like."

"Rose-Ella and Reece, huh." He sighed, soft. "I guess we're sleeping down here with them."

"I am. You can sleep upstairs."

Nick shook his head, leaning over to kiss me. "Not a chance, Aussie. Wait right here. I'll get us a bed set up."

While he was getting the bed set up, I went with Lucas into the kitchen, and he wrote down what we'd agreed to. It seemed fairly straight forward, what we'd bound ourselves to, but he would talk with someone anyway. Contracts when broken meant that I was in his debt on a deeper level. It meant that he could ask almost anything of me and I'd be obligated to do it. Not just obligated- I'd find it impossible to refuse. It was better to keep it.

We curled up on the single mattress Nick found, watching the babies sleep, and I longed to finally pick them up. But I didn't. I left them there, almost afraid that if I touched them, they'd break or vanish, trusting in the feeling of Nick's chest behind my back instead.

Antonio dropped off several boxes of the nappies we needed as we slept, just in time, because I woke to see him gently lifting up one of the babies, a foul smell coming from the baby just as it started to stir. He held a finger to his lips, lowering the baby beside me, and changed it as I watched sleepily.

We heard Elena and Clay arguing upstairs, at one point, when I got up to try and feed and change the babies. I suspected it was about the offer she'd been given and that she hadn't refused but, as it wasn't my business yet, I tried to ignore it.

I lifted up Reece, my breath catching as I felt how tiny he was, how light, his little cries of distress about the dirty nappy going straight through me. His stomach was growling too. Soon his cries got louder, more insistent, and Rose joined in, till Nick _had_ to get up and help me.

We thought they'd calm down when they were changed and the bottles were in their mouth. No such luck for me- no matter how much I tried to calm Reece down, he bawled his eyes out, refusing to eat, and Nick eventually took him from me and handed me Rose instead.

Reece calmed down and started to drink.

Rose, on the other hand, started to bawl her eyes out.

I started to cry again, much to Nick's alarm, but we were saved by Clay's weary appearance in the kitchen door.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you awake."

"I was already awake." He grunted, taking the tiny girl from me, and let me try and feed her while he held her. Rose calmed down slightly, sort of, but after a few minutes with her still refusing to eat, Clayton took the bottle and Rose into the darker living room. A box of tissues was flung at me a few seconds later.

I heard Rose calm down fast and it wasn't long before she drinking eagerly, the tears glinting in the light from the kitchen, grief and guilt at the distress I felt I'd caused them. I tried to clean my face.

"You're tired and stressed. They probably can tell." Clay said, matter-of-factly, as she drank. He sounded more awake now. "I think the toddlers have woken up."

"I'll go." I had to go, Nick and Clayton had a baby each, and headed upstairs.

The toddlers were still fast asleep but I sat there in the room with them, Matt asleep in the other bed, watching them as their peaceful sleep comforted me somewhat as well. I didn't go back down until I heard Clayton going past in the hall to his bedroom, somewhat afraid of the babies now, afraid that I'd upset them or wake them up.

Nick was back in bed, his eyes shut, but he was awake and waiting. He only went to sleep when I did, a hand stroking across my arm gently.

I felt the urge to change, suddenly, and snapped awake. Nick's head lifted up, confused, and watched as I stripped clothing off fast, my body contorting, my hurt and confusion translating into the need for change.

"Shit, right now?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't, but he grabbed my hand and dragged me outside as the change really got into it. Outside it was hot, the insects were singing, I noticed for a moment that the fireflies were dancing over our heads.

Collapsing onto the prickly dry grass, I lay there, gasping, trying to let go of the fight and let it do what it had to do. The agony of it was over fast, mercifully, and I lay there panting on my side, trembling, tail twitching against the dry grass.

Nick's bare feet were nearby, trusting that I was in control, and I leaned out to lick them as I tried to relax, let the pain drift out. He laughed, a funny sound in my head, and I felt him reach down and slowly stroke the fur, the bizarre sensation of it both pleasurable and strange to me. But what was wrong with it? He touched me all the time as a human. He was careful though, ready to back off, waiting to make sure it was fine with me.

I whined, slid closer, rolling over so he could rub my stomach, and to show submission to him. He was my mate, my partner, but deep down... he was also my boss. At least outside the bedroom. A palm found the thinner fur.

Oh, _that_ was the spot. This was why dogs liked it so much. I shut my eyes, hearing his soft chuckle, and then I heard him stand up and start to strip his clothing off too.

"If you get to go for a run right now, so do I. I'll tell Dad. Wait here a moment." He was already inside by the time my mind understood what he'd told me to do.

I heard Antonio come downstairs, his head ducking out to see me sitting there, and he sighed.

While Nick changed, I stood up, wriggling, and started to pace around the house in the night, sniffing at scents and chasing the little moving lights that darted through the air. A dark shape barrelled into my side as I chased a poor firefly, Nick panting, pushing me over as he tried to pin me and breath my scent up into his nostrils. That was right. He didn't have his nose when he was human.

I lay there for a few seconds as he smelt me, his nose pressing against my neck, and then nipped at his ruff and threw him sideways, catching him by surprise. The two of us played and tumbled and nipped at each other, rolling around in the grass in the field near the house, chasing the fireflies, acting like a couple of silly puppies instead of a pair of adults. It was another kind of stress release, one we probably both needed, giving into the wolf side that in many ways made much more sense to us than the human world with the complexities and stupidity that came with it.

We went into the forest after a while, side by side, hunting together, our efforts not so good as we couldn't resist playing at the same time. We managed to find rabbits though, the playfulness fading as we got into the serious hunting side, not sadistic in nature- we didn't play or tease with prey. We hunted them, killed them fast, and respected them enough to make sure they didn't suffer.

Then we headed back, bellies full, changing near the house. When we went back to sleep, this time it was a deeper satisfied sleep, one that the babies interrupted soon after with another need for food. Nick comforted them while I got the bottles ready.

The meet next day wasn't a peaceful one. Elena informed the pack of the offer- that in exchange for her to donate eggs, they would receive the cure for the hereditary members, and that the mutts already had the cure.

I found out only now that everyone had gotten the disease while I was gone. Every mutt, every member of the pack, though the treatment to end the fever had suddenly reduced the time they'd been sick and made it go from critical and life threatening to just a pain in the ass for a short while.

She hadn't decided yet. She'd just informed us, kept it transparent, and I could see how angry Clayton was about the offer. It pissed me off too. Elena wasn't bits and pieces, she wasn't an apple tree that could be harvested, and while I'd accepted that treatment thinking it was for the best...

He was angry about me too, I could see it, as she informed everyone where I'd been and what had happened. No secrets, exactly, though she didn't mention that the babies had been conceived during a rape. Just, that had been how I'd secured the cure for the bitten mutts.

I added, quietly, when I got looks, that it had been a stupid choice. But it was done. I wasn't going to support or speak against Elena's choice, either way, because it hadn't been a good decision on my part. She would call another meet the day before the twins had to be returned to Demetruis and let us know what she'd decided.

The other problem was that this cure, this one Demetruis wanted her eggs for, it wasn't just going to affect Elena or the pack. He'd made it clear that it would cure any supernatural and we'd receive control over it. The werewolves would have the power over the entire supernatural world, the power to cure everyone, or to ...well, take it over. Maybe he was hoping for that. I didn't know. I didn't see Elena deciding to rule the world though. But there was something she wasn't telling us, something she hesitated about, her eyes meeting Clayton's eyes a moment. He was stony faced as she talked. Because, apparently, Demetruis had already received offers for it from other interested parties.

The pack wasn't interested in 'ruling the world'. A different group was.

Most of the pack knew about the attack just before we'd turned up there'd been a fight with a group of supernatural who wanted to 'resist' the human control. They wanted Savannah, Kate and Logan. Hurt several people, not just pack, in that attempt. And apparently there was a prophecy about the Kate and Logan- the first children born of two bitten werewolves- which made them more or less walking targets for this group.

I assumed this meant my triplets were safe, as were the twins, but I was just as protective over Elena's twins as my own. She reassured us that the prophecy was made up, probably, but whatever it was the people in the 'resistance' believed it. And they _did_ want to take over the world. She hadn't heard a word of them since they'd had a victory over them. No one had, we'd assumed, but Demetruis _had_.

Demetruis had told her that he had received an offer from them for the cure and control over it and that he was seriously considering it.

I growled softly, under my breath, as I suddenly saw what he'd hung over Elena's neck. Like me, he hadn't just said 'So, cure for baby?'. He'd added a threat into the mix. If she didn't, he would do something which could endanger all of us far worse. By giving this 'resistance' the power to cure or make sick any supernatural, excluding the witches, and our daughters, it could be a potential disaster. It went from being Elena's choice, what she did with her body, to everyone's choice. The entire damn supernatural world hung on what she did with it.

"He's informed me that if I carry the child, we'll receive sole ownership of it. If I donate eggs, we'll receive it first. And if I refuse-" Elena didn't need to tell us that again.

As far as he was concerned, this crisis wasn't involving him, he was just playing sides against each other to get what he wanted. I had this feeling that he wanted us to tear each other apart. Like it was entertainment or something sick. But somehow it made no sense either. Why would he be so keen on having 'hybrid' children? That was what they'd be, after all, the children of female werewolves and a bitten sorcerer. Surely it was more than just power.

Elena didn't elaborate, her eyes going to the phone in Lucas's hand, and I realised that he'd been here the whole time and had called someone. Or had he been on it the whole time? I'd been so wrapped up in what she'd told us that I hadn't thought about looking.

"We'll discuss this as the council after lunch." Lucas told her, as he listened to the phone. Then he hung up. "I think everyone needs to think."

She nodded a fraction.

I didn't want her to do it either. No one did. Lucas, who had to be there for this one, muttered something about getting onto his father about the scientists again, because if they could find the cure first, she wasn't going to have that pressure on her.

Right now though it _was_ on her.

There wasn't much else she could say. We told her what we thought, more or less everyone was against the idea, but the news about the 'resistance' group and that it'd cure more than the werewolves had made it much more complicated than just mutts verse the pack. I suddenly saw how, really, she had been his goal all along. He liked power, Elena was the Alpha,and I was just convenient. Demetruis had saved the real offer for Elena. He'd just used me to demonstrate to her that what he offered, a 'cure', was genuine... by trading the bitten cure with _me_ first.

I sat with her after, as the men left us, and we heard a car pull up. Daniella and Reece, late for some reason, and Antonio took them aside to tell them what we'd been told.

"I don't like it." I muttered, finally, as we sat there in silence.

Elena nodded, her face paler than usual, though she was hiding her reaction to the news well. She'd been stony faced as she'd delivered the news. Now though, now that we were alone, I saw that it was tearing her up. She'd been used by men as a girl and a teenager and had survived. Now some asshole wanted to come along and 'borrow' her body all over again. It didn't matter how many years passed, how many great things happened, that kind of betrayal ran deep.

"No. I know." She said, finally, leaning back in the chair and sighing as she shut her eyes. "Neither does Clay."

"What do you want for lunch? I'll cook anything." Suddenly, I wanted to comfort her, make her food, make her something she loved. Elena opened one eye, a tense smile as she caught my face. "Anything."

"Pancakes from scratch, ham, maple syrup. Let's pretend it's breakfast. Clay is already starting but if you hurry, you can probably rescue the batter."

I listened, filtering out the voices and noises, and heard it. Clayton pulling things out in the kitchen, slamming them on the bench, his breathing heavier than usual as if he was just barely holding in his anger. "I'll go rescue it."

Clayton wasn't surprised to see me in the kitchen. He handed me the whisk and went for the fridge instead, taking over the meat part of it, neither of us speaking as we cooked enough for the army of werewolves in the house. He didn't need to ask me what I thought about it, he knew as well as anyone how I'd reacted to the agreement in the end, and I didn't need to ask him either.

Truth was, neither of us wanted Elena to do it, neither of us wanted her to be used like that. It was demeaning, disrespectful, and just plain fucked up.

"I knew you were up to something." He said, finally as I waited for the next round of pancakes to finish. "You should have said something to me."

"If I did, the deal was off."

"I'm the pack protector. You should have called me when it was done then." He growled, as an egg cracked too much, flinging it into the sink with several others. I took the box of eggs off him. "Scrambled eggs with bacon."

It was an order, so to speak, not just an explanation as to what he was trying to make. I let him take over the pancake flipping, his hand white around the spatula as he stood there.

"I should have. Yeah." I agreed quietly. I should have called someone. "I wasn't thinking straight."

"We know. Next time you use that shit, I'm going to hit you myself, and leave you in the cage. I don't care how hard it is to get off it." There was no sympathy, at least not with the morphine, just annoyance. I flinched a little. "It was stupid for you to use so much."

"I know." I didn't meet his eyes. The scolding was the first one I'd had since I got here. It hurt but ...he was right.

"And fucking stupid for you to try and kill yourself with those drugs. Do you have any idea what that'd do to Nick? To your babies? To Matt?" He swore as he snapped the handle.

I handed him a spare and he took it, trying to calm himself down again, the stress about Elena overflowing into his anger about what I'd had to do. Clayton breathed in and out, slowly, shutting his eyes.

"Yeah. I do now. You're right." I said quietly, stepping beside him to make the eggs in another frying pan, and Clayton relaxed somewhat as he watched my face.

"Well, like you said, you weren't thinking right. Next time you don't think right, you call me, I won't let you do anything stupid. The pack deals with threats together." His arm brushed against mine, the physical contact rare since Nick had gotten angry with me, some part of Clayton calming down when I nodded.

"I sold my babies for a cure." I muttered, quietly, as we worked. He froze, glancing at me, but he didn't deny it.

"You weren't exactly jumping for joy either, were you?" As I shook my head, he dropped another pancake onto the plate. "So stop thinking about it. You got him to let you be their mother. I take it you want them."

I nodded, glancing back at the living room, Matt gazing over the edge at the sleeping babies. He would glare at anyone who was too loud, which amused me, so loving of them. "I want them."

"Good. We'll deal with him." He wasn't going to let him fuck with the pack any more, I sensed it from the soft growl in his chest, but for now... all Clayton could do was cook with me. So we cooked.

I was picked up, midway through cooking, as Reece rushed in and swung me around, grinning, delighted.

"You named a baby after me?"

"Sort of." I muttered, inhaling slowly, glad to see him again. "After Australian things. You're Australian."

"I am, aren't I?" He laughed, dropping me as Nick came at him, hands up. "She's all yours. Where are they?"

I could hear them, I was surprised for a second that he couldn't, until I remembered. He had the hearing of a human now.

"I'll serve this all out. You show him." Clayton called.

I led Reece into the study, the quiet room perfect to let them sleep but be close enough to get close to, and Reece gazed down at them with the same wonder that we had. Particularly at the tiny Reece.

"How you doing?" He asked, softer, arm brushing mine. "You okay?"

I didn't say yes. I just said, "Trying," which he understood. I was trying to be okay. That was the best I could do right now. Reece put an arm over my shoulders, Nick appearing a second later and ducking between us, the playfulness between them returning somewhat.

Elena didn't tell us what happened in the meeting with the council, though I suspected it was more discussion over what she'd been offered, and she was buggered by the time it was over. Pizzas appeared, with another bag of nappies and fresh baby formula, and we didn't speak about it. But Elena made it clear that Nick and myself had to stay here- she didn't want us to leave the house till the week was up, she wanted to make sure the twins were safe till she knew what she was going to offer him.

We moved into one of the other bedrooms, as the babies kept waking everyone up, and waited.

The ideal result of the week would have been that everything went smoothly, that my depression vanished, and that the morphine cravings vanished with it. Nothing of the sort happened. To begin with, the babies didn't like it when I held them, when I fed them, they didn't like me to touch them at all. They cried their heads off every time, and then I'd cry my head off, if Dominic was in the room then he'd get upset, and we'd be a mess. Maybe it was because I was so afraid, when I touched them, I was so deathly afraid of hurting them, but ...nothing I could do could make it any better. I tried to smile, I tried to talk in a happy voice, but they just weren't believing it.

Nick, on the other hand, was like a magic happy snuggle monster. He would hold one or both and suddenly they'd calm down. The same deal with Clayton. The two of them seemed to have some calming thing about them that Rose and Reece responded to.

It only provoked the depression to get more difficult to deal with again, as I watched them, and even Matt's shocking question wasn't enough to really shake me fully out of this depression. Not only that, but my body was still going through the withdrawals from the morphine, and like Jeremy had predicted, I changed without warning day or night.

"It's going to get better." Elena tried to reassure me, as I sat there, trying to not cry as Rose cried her eyes out in my arms, unable to settle or relax with me.

I just tried to smile, nodding, every cry stabbing into me, feeling so guilty for her distress. What if I'd made her unhappy during the pregnancy? And Reece? By ignoring them? I longed for it to be like the triplets when they were this age- they were so content, so happy with me, calming down the second I touched them. They and Matt became like sunlight to me, big smiles, warmth, endless love. And it was bizarre that she was trying to reassure me. I was supposed to be reassuring _her_ right now.

We had two days left before I had to hand them back for a week. The anxiety was growing about this, about giving them over, every part of my nature saying FIGHT instead of doing the wrong thing. I didn't know if he'd vanish with them, I didn't know if he'd notice up upset they were and say no, I had no clue what to expect.

Finally, Clayton gave in and took Rose from me, and like usual she calmed down and let him feed her. I felt him brush my arm, as he moved away, my heart sinking further.

I didn't hate them for it, for being so resistant to me, but ...I resented them. It wasn't like with the triplets, who knew who I was, the twins behaved like I was their worst nightmare when I loved them so much. That came with the guilt that I'd caused this.

Dominic, like usual, started to look upset. He had been sitting nearby at the table. Somehow he'd been stalking me for the week, the entire exhausting upsetting week, and now he looked like he was about as ready to cry as I was. I slid down to sit beside him and played with his curls, hiding my face behind him, letting him slide into my lap and show me what he'd drawn.

The second I was sitting two more bodies were in my lap, two more toddlers that almost didn't fit now, and I knew there was going to be a point where I just had to tell them one at a time. They were getting bigger and bigger.

"I don't know if I can do it." Elena said, softly, as she slid beside me and pulled Lily out of my lap. "Come here, baby. Show me."

Lily showed her instead, happily, as Susie sat on one of my knees and drew on the coffee table.

"You don't have to."

She didn't answer. I could see it, that same torn feeling I'd had, that guilt. Elena had so much more riding on her than a simple disease cure for a baby. If there was a group of supernaturals out there, wanting her children and wanting to make the humans slaves, giving them any extra power was a bad idea.

Three sets of pounding feet, laughter, and we saw Logan and Kate run, squealing, as Matt chased them with a watergun, water going everywhere, the three of them soaking wet.

"Outside!" Both myself and Elena called, making the triplets jump, the kids jumping too as they spotted us with guilty looks. Then they were gone again and Elena laughed softly, staring at the devastation they'd left behind, the trail of water and droplets running down one wall.

"What do they want with your kids?"

"I don't really know." Elena replied. If she did know, she wasn't telling me right now. What really mattered was that they were wanted. "We expected it to come much faster. Their attack."

"I didn't know." That was messed up too- waiting for an attack they knew was coming. It would leave everyone in a state of anxiety, tenseness, unable to relax. It was almost a psychological warfare all on its own- making the enemy _wait_ for an attack they knew would come. Even more so when there were children involved.

Elena's blue eyes met mine and she sighed softly against Lily's hair. "No. You didn't need to know earlier, not just yet, but if I'd thought your children were at risk I would have told you."

"They're not the ones they want."

"No." She replied quietly. Her eyes didn't meet mine though, and suddenly I wondered. Suddenly I felt the first flicker of fear, of uncertainty. "Savannah will come explain it to you tomorrow. But today Clay is going to be taking you for an afternoon of training again now. Starting today."

"Seriously?" I was glad for it, glad that he was willing to teach me anything, but with babies? The withdrawals? All of that shit going on? Suddenly I felt how serious this 'resistance' really was. I had this sinking feeling that if Elena rejected his offer, if they received the 'cure', it wasn't just going to be a handful of mutts coming here and trying to slap us around.

She didn't say anything else, just got up and headed into the study.

Training with Clayton was crazy. There was no other word for it. He had been cured as well, and he was serious when he came at me, no sympathy for the depression, no sympathy for the morphine detoxing that my body was going to be doing for a while. It was supposed to be a five hour session, apparently, and when I changed out of the sheer stress of it, Clayton changed too. Then he just kept it up, snapping and attacking, as comfortable with instructing me as a wolf as he was in the human body. In some ways I felt like he preferred this shape.

After four hours, I was buggered, and I didn't notice the little wolf watching us at first. Clayton had though. He watched Matt as Matt snuck closer, belly scraping across the undergrowth, and suddenly lunged at him.

Horror went through me, and an incredible need to protect my pup, but Clayton snapped at me. I was supposed to stay still. Then he chased after Matt, teeth bared, Matt turning on him and attacking back.

The training suddenly went between them, as I had a moment to breathe, big golden wolf attacking the smaller red wolf pup, a fight that made me snarl and growl even as I tried to suppress it. Then, when I couldn't take watching Clayton 'train' Matt, I lunged at him and knocked him away from Matt, fur rising, teeth bared. When Matt tried to go for Clayton, I grabbed Matt by the ruff and picked him up. As he squirmed, trying to whine, I carried him back to the house and dumped him in the living room, Elena's laugh in my ears as I headed back to Clayton.

Another hour passed, the two of us going at it, before he finally sighed and flopped, panting hard, and I flopped down nearby as I read his meaning. It was over. We could relax. I could taste his blood and knew he'd nipped me hard enough to get the same taste.

When we changed, we dressed and leaned there, breathing hard still, bruised and bloody and somehow I felt fine. The sadness was gone. The depression, faded to the back of my head, and even Clayton seemed to be more relaxed now. There was something about training like that, so brutal and serious, that seemed to slap everything else back.

"My kids are in trouble too, aren't they?" I asked it, finally, as he sat there beside me, leaning against me.

"Could be." Clayton admitted. But he didn't say anything else. The practical solution was pretty clear- I just had to get stronger again. Get over the drug. Get over the depression. And be able to defend everyone again physically. "Feel less emotional now?"

I nodded and he smiled somewhat then, flopping back, and I flopped back nearby. Clayton's arm dropped across me, the first snuggle with him for months and months, and he relaxed as I breathed out slowly. Relief came at this contact- if Clayton was willing to touch me again like this, then I was forgiven in the pack, I was his pack-sister again. He would only behave this way with his pack.

"Thanks." I muttered and the arm squeezed me.

"Happy to beat you up any day, darling." He muttered, amused now, and shut his eyes. "Just tell me when."

"Next time you see that morphine near me..."

"You get the same treatment." Clay's head lifted and I saw that Matt was back, now dressed in shorts, a few bruises and scrapes from his fight with Clay there. But he was grinning, face smeared with dirt, and Clay shook his head. "You, next time you interrupt training with Anne, I won't be so nice."

"Can I learn?" Matt asked as he flopped down on top of me and Clayton, just for a second, before he realised how hot and sweaty we both were. In the hot summer's day this was not a pleasant idea- cuddling hot sweaty adults- and he got up to flop in the shade of a nearby tree instead. "Can you train me?"

"Next birthday. We'll start it then." Clay answered. He yawned and I felt him relax. I had to agree- a nap in the shade was a nice idea.

When Matt was asleep, I leaned up, shaking Clay gently. I'd remembered something from the meeting I hadn't told Elena yet.

"Mmm?" He made a noise as he shook gently out of sleep, blinking sleepily up at me. "What you want?"

"I forgot something about the meeting with him. I didn't ...I guess I was knocked over by the twins, I didn't mean to forget it."

"What?" Clayton leaned up, softer, the sleep fading at the look in my eyes.

"He asked me if I could hynpotize Elena to do it for him."

Clayton showed no sign of tensing, nothing, even yawning, but I felt deep down that it had done something. "You think he'll force her?"

"He wanted me to make her do it so ..."

"How did he get you pregnant?" Clayton continued to look lazy, relaxed, but his eyes were fixed on me with such intensity that I needed to lean back a bit. Not a trace of sleep was there now, nothing, he was alert on every level.

"Didn't I ever tell you?" I hadn't, I realised, and I hadn't told Elena either. I'd told Antonio and Nick, and Reece.

"No."

I told him about Antonio finding me in the garden. Clay knew that much, he knew that Tyler had jabbed me with a needle, I remembered we'd discussed that and he thought it'd been spread to me- the strain that attacked hereditary wolves. But he hadn't known that Antonio thought I'd been raped.

"You remember the attack?"

"Only a tiny bit. Only flashes." I admitted. "But the pregnancy matches that ...so..."

"He came to you with a deal anyway. Used a spell to make you hold to it." Clayton's voice was still soft, his eyes shutting now, arms tense. "Lucas said he used it again with the twins. I'm guessing you had to do the same thing earlier for the cure."

I nodded. "I had to. If I had known I was already..."

"You might have told him to go to hell. Or you might have had the upper hand." There was a soft growl then, just the trace of it. "He's trying to stay a step ahead of us. Come on. We'll tell Elena."

When I'd picked up Matt, who just grumbled and went back to sleep, we headed back and left him in the living room while we went to find Elena.

That night I was exhausted and restless. Not just from being woken up every few hours by the twins. It was more than that. This flood of information, of pressure on the house, on the pack, and as I tried to change the twins, I could tell I wasn't the only restless one. There was a soft light coming from Clay and Elena's room, I could hear Jeremy downstairs on the phone, and when the babies had started to cry, Nick had gotten up so fast that I knew he wasn't asleep either.

I changed them, as they fussed and cried, and then handed them to Nick who took over the feeding and soothing. Like usual they calmed down with him and I _tried_ to not take it personally.

Once they were asleep, and he'd made sure the triplets and Matt were sleeping okay, he crawled into bed and flopped onto his stomach in the darkness with a soft groan.

Leaning up, I tugged off the long tshirt, the gentle whoosh of the fan over my bare skin, and stripped Nick. When he tried to get up, I pushed him back down, and with slow firm strokes, stroked his muscles, massaging the tension out, my long hair brushing against his skin as the fan blew it, Nick watching me with a mixture of love and amusement. And gratitude. His entire body was tense as I worked on it.

Finally he started to relax, the muscles relaxing under my hands, his breathing slowing. Sleepily he asked, "Why?"

"Becuase I love you." Why else?

He reached out to stroke my bare leg, eyes shutting, murmuring his love back, and I felt him ease into sleep as I stroked his back. It took some time to join him in sleep.

Savannah was there early the next morning and, like yesterday, more information overload crammed into my head. She told me about when they'd captured her, how she'd seen _hundreds_ of supernaturals in the 'resistance', and how they had listed off every child that was a hybrid or unusual.

"So they weren't just discussing Kate and Logan?" I'd assumed that it was mostly about Elena's twins. But Savannah shook her head.

"Wasn't just our children they were interested in. They wanted Hope's child too. Savannah. Several other children that were hybrids. Seemed like they were getting ready for a war and were trying to collect the whole bunch."

"Hope's child? Why?"

"She's the daughter of Lucifer."

Lucifer. Devil. Demon. The top dog, so to speak, of all top dogs. Or demons. They wanted any child born from an unusual parentage, in other words, and while my triplets weren't so unusual- they were from a father who'd come from a long line of werewolves- my twins were. They had a sorcerer father who'd been bitten, and then me.

"Your children will be interesting." Savannah said, softer, as she smiled down at Lily. Lily had refused to be left out. "Elena thought the triplets aren't going to be of great interest, but I'm not so sure, because _you_ are unusual."

Deep down I knew that they'd be a target. I always knew they'd be targets, one way or another, especially the girls. In a male dominated society? Of course they would be. It hadn't concerned me though, I automatically felt like Lily and Susie could have handled any idiots that came their way, they had some of the best fighters in the pack to train them. But what about against other supernaturals in the world? If Savannah's hunch was right, how could I train them to defend themselves against that kind of interest?

And Matt, he was unusual too, created like Clayton had been. Would they be interested in him too?

The twins would be of interest. No matter how I tried to look at it, I knew that, because they were one of a ...well, really, two of a kind. Hybrids, like the ex-alpha had been, and we had no clue how they'd turn out. Aaron had been a weak ass sorcerer, barely any skill, and a pretty shocking werewolf. His brother had been a much better sorcerer but a shocking werewolf. I didn't care if the twins ended up being weak in either way, or even both, but I _did_ care about how well they could defend themselves.

Then again, if they were clearly not strong, why would a 'resistance' want to get them? Maybe they'd be ignored.

My mind flashed back to when Clayton had taken such a obsessive approach to guarding them while we were in the desert, that for the pack _protector_ to leave the _alpha_ and guard the children... I should have known it was more than his anger that blood was being taken. Or how, while at school, at least one member of the pack was in town. Not there but ...watching.

When I didn't respond to her for a good five minutes, watching Lily discuss something about frogs with anyone who listened, Savannah shifted uncomfortably.

"Elena didn't want to worry you before." Savannah explained, softly. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should have told you earlier. Elena's children are the probably the main targets, as the prophecy bullshit was directed at them only. She believed that the triplets would be safe, as Nick isn't a bitten wolf, so ...they're not too unusual. Not yet. But your twins are different again."

"It's okay." I smiled, stressed, and added, "I think I knew."

I heard someone come to stand in the doorway and looked up to see Lucas standing there, quiet.

"Your son will probably need instructions from someone other than his biological father. We don't think your daughter will. But I'll be there. My father has offered you protection now, he's made it clear, anyone that touches your children in the sorcerer world.."

"I still have to keep the agreement though, don't I?" I realised, with horror, that it was tomorrow. I had to give them back tomorrow.

"Yes. He could demand anything of you otherwise. It's safer to keep up with it." Lucas nodded a fraction. "The Cabal have been looking for him for questioning but now, now they're determined to locate him. That spell he used on you is against every one of our rules. You _never_ use it on someone who isn't a sorcerer- only a sorcerer can cancel the spell from the other end- so he's in deep shit." He tried to smile.

"If you capture him?"

"He'll be imprisoned for around five or six years. At least."

The same amount of time we'd agreed to swap children. I flinched as I pictured them being raised in a prison half the time. Had he known this would happen? Probably. He knew that the pack was close to Lucas and Paige, knew that if he was captured, the agreement still stood.

"Yes, we know. The twins have to remain with him for every second week, prison or not, but ...we'll keep it in mind. The agreement works both ways though. If he doesn't give you the children back after a week, you hold the power over him." Luca's lips twitched then. "So don't worry. You'll always get them back in the five year period."

"What if he can't find me?" I wondered suddenly if ...if I vanished. For an extra day. If he couldn't get them to me in time.

"He has magic. He can get them to you wherever you are. You don't have that technique and don't want to start that kind of battle with him. If he vanished and you couldn't find him..." Lucas reminded me, as he caught the idea in my eyes, and shook his head. My heart sank at that. "I'm working on it."

"How much could he ask of Liz?" Nick's voice came from the window, his head popping up, from where he must have been hiding.

"Nothing that would harm her or another, or that would threaten her life. But she'd become a slave, more or less, for that five year period she agreed to. He'd be able to ask you to do anything that didn't physically hurt you or kill you." Luca's eyes went from Nick to me. "This is why it is forbidden to be used on people who can't cancel the spell. Five years is a long time. But, as you only agreed to every second week, you would only be obligated to serve him every second week. That's the worst case scenario. It's better to avoid it."

Nick swore, hoisting himself into the window when I didn't tell him off, and strode over to stand beside me as if this would stop it.

"At least I know." I muttered.

"Better to know where you stand." Savannah agreed softly. She was still playing with Lily, as Lily ignored all of us, stroking her curls. "Her hair is amazing."

"Her dad's curls." I said, leaning against Nick's side, relieved to be off that topic now. So much information. It was too much for me. Nick's arm squeezed my shoulder sas he stood there. "Nick?"

"Yes?"

"Stop sneaking around and listening in to private conversations."

He grinned a sheepish grin down at me. "Had to know where you stood too."

We heard, or rather I heard, Clayton calling for Nick. No one else seemed to notice. Should I warn him that he was being hunted? Chased?

"Were you supposed to be with someone?"

"Clay was going to tell me what Savannah told you, I think." Nick shrugged. "Why?"

Clayton's head popped up in the window, as he followed Nick's trail, and Nick jumped. He backed up, fleeing the room, Clayton leaping inside easily and going after him. Lily, seeing this great chase, squealed with laughter and took after them both, her interest in Savannah and frogs going fast, she was _never_ able to resist a chase.

I followed after them, my mind on other things than this, barely even able to smile at the sight. Instead I headed for the bedroom and sat down on the bed, watching the twins sleep side by side, tucking my legs up. I loved the triplets, I loved their sense of humour, but the weight of what was going to have to happen tomorrow was too heavy. The twins being given back. Elena having to make a choice.

I wondered if she could even _make_ the choice when it affected everyone. Not just her.

Sighing, I shut my eyes, wishing ...I didn't know. It felt like we were being lured somewhere and the way out behind us was already being shut off. Like we were already halfway into a trap and had only just realised there were bars around us and no way out. It went against every instinct we had, to be in this position. Getting the twins back, like this, it was only a tiny victory. Demetruis was still pulling the strings.

Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.


	12. Trapped

"He's meeting us for dinner. We're leaving at six and he informed us it was a semi-formal place." Elena told me softly. She didn't stay, just informed me, and then she was gone. Her mind was somewhere else and I didn't need to be a genius to know where it was.

"Wait, Elena." Nick was sitting up, almost jumping off the bed as he tried to grab her. "What about me? Can I come?"

Elena paused as she turned around.

"Clayton and you will be in the car outside. Reece is coming on his behalf while Lucas and Paige sit nearby." Elena said, softly, and Nick stiffened. "You're coming. But we need everyone to stay calm and Reece has been trained by Clay. I can't have anyone loosing their cool tonight."

"Have you decided?" I asked and wished I hadn't. She didn't answer, just turned, and headed away quietly.

Nick stood there for a few seconds before he shut the door and turned, crawling back into bed with me, crawling over the top of me and flopping there. For a long time neither of us spoke, just lay there, the relaxation of sleep gone now. We were both tense.

"Think she'll do it?" I asked Nick, as he lay there, his head on my chest.

"I don't know." Nick said, the soft vibrations going into my chest through the sheet, a hand stroking my hair. "I wouldn't have thought you'd do it."

The words hung there for a while. I shut my eyes, that regret coming through me again, and he seemed to realise he'd upset me again. Nick stiffened and lifted his head. "I didn't say I was angry. I think I understand. I ...just was surprised."

"I wanted to protect everyone."

"Yeah. But I'm supposed to protect you too. I didn't want you to go through that on your own." He muttered, against my chest, breathing slightly faster with the reaction. He hadn't said this to me, hadn't really spoken about it, but he _was_ now. I didn't want to stop him but Nick didn't say anything else for a while.

"You stayed away though." I said, finally, eyes shutting as the pain and betrayal of that came back. How he didn't look at me, didn't touch me, that emotion cutting me as he stayed away.

"I know. Sorry. I wasn't coping either. I came back the next day, got to JFK and realised how stupid I was being, so I turned around and came back. You were already gone. I looked _everywhere_. Even flew to Australia."

"Seriously?"

Nick nodded. We heard one of the twins stir, start to wake, but he tightened his hand in my hair as he went quiet.

After a few minutes Reece settled and he spoke again, softer. "Even Australia. When you want to vanish, you do it well, no one knew where you'd gone. Daniella too."

"Clay told me off too." I muttered. "Sorry. I panicked. I figured if no one was around while I got larger, no one would get attached to the babies, and ...when I returned, it'd be easier. I'd have the cure for everyone and no one would be too attached to the twins."

"Except you."

"Except me." I had to admit it. Even when I'd ignored the pregnancy, I'd gotten attached, even as I tried to pretend it wasn't happening.

Reece woke again, his soft sound of distress and his stomach rumbling meeting my sensitive ears, and I pushed at Nick gently. "We've got to get up now."

"Already?"

"He's hungry."

I changed Reece, then Nick fed him as Rose slept peacefully, anotehr difference to the triplets I wasn't used to. The twins had their own feed and change schedule... or at least, they didn't depend on each other... where as the triplets had more or less hit us with three empty stomachs and three stinking nappies all at once. These days they weren't as linked, weren't as synched, but they still were preditable with most things.

"Got to pee. Here." Nick, suddenly, dumped Reece in my arms with the bottle. I stared in horror as he vanished out the door, Reece starting to cry, face going red, as his arms flailed.

"Nick..." Too late. He was gone and Reece was upset.

I felt like I wanted to cry too, suddenly, as he refused to calm down. I sat there, trying to get him to drink, helpless as I heard Rose pipe up too, mirroring her brother's distress. Picking her up didn't help. They lay there on the bed in front of me, crying, Reece refusing to eat even as his stomach rumbled.

This time no one came to help me. No one. It kept going, they kept crying, the minutes dragging by as I tried to comfort them, as I changed their nappies, as I cooed to them, almost crying myself as it just kept going, and going, and _going_. After a restless night, I was exhausted, and angry and upset... because no one came to help me. Nick had vanished, apparently having fallen down the toilet, and I felt fleeting panic that maybe there was trouble. But I heard nothing. No yells, no fights, nothing, just an empty house. Where was everyone?

Was it a nightmare? I pinched myself, even as I cooed to the babies, the pain real, the reality there.

The hours ticked by, as they cried, and I cried, and Reece barely touched the milk his stomach was screaming for. I rocked them, I stroked their scalps gently, changed their nappies as they needed it, I tried everything. The resentment and grief returned, the guilt, that maybe I'd done this to them. Hurt them by the way I'd behaved during the pregnancy, made them feel unloved, all illogical things but …

With nothing else to do, with no other ideas, and after three hours of them bawling their eyes out and breaking my heart, I opened the laptop and put music on. Sang, not really for them, but to calm myself down.

And suddenly, Reece was quiet, staring up, his blue eyes opening and surrounded by the dampness,his mouth open in mid cry. Rose calmed down too, and when I stopped singing, I saw them both start up again.

Then I tried it again, sang, and they went quiet. Calm. Reece actually accepted the milk, even though it was cold now, and I blinked through my own wet eyes down at them. That was it? They just wanted me to sing to them?

Suddenly the door opened, Nick's head ducking in, and he grinned.

"Knew you'd do it. Want some more milk?"

I glared at him, upset, and he vanished for a few minutes. Then he was back with two bottles and slid beside me.

"Do you want ..."

"Sing to them and feed them." Nick shook his head, his hands going up. "Don't look at me."

I did that, Nick helping me get them into my lap, and to my amazement they drank the bottles, calm, as I sang Adele or some cheesy eighties song, or ...whatever Nick put on.

"Do you sing to them?" I asked, when they were full and falling asleep, side by side on the bed in front of us.

"No." Nick shrugged. "They just like you."

The words made me breathe in slowly, eyes shutting, tears coming for a different reason this time. God. "I thought I'd hurt them. By the way I was in Australia. I thought ..."

"You'd screwed them up for life?" He snuggled me against his side then. "You were just upset when you held them. Maybe they notice when you're upset because you had a hard time alone. We all agreed though. From now on, if they cry and they don't calm down in your arms, we back off till they do."

"You all agree?"

"We all discussed it." He squeezed my side. "No one wants them to get used to depending on us and being afraid of you."

I watched them sleep, relieved that I'd managed to do it on my own, but I nudged his side. "I still need some help. Twins..."

"Never said I wasn't going to help. But they have to calm down in your arms only." He nuzzled my neck. "They're my kids too now."

I looked at him then, sudden, and only met that serious face. "Your kids?"

"Claimed them. Mine." He growled, softly, leaning over to nip my neck gently. "My mate's puppies, so mine too."

"You never wanted kids." I muttered, and he laughed, pulling my legs so I was under him, Nick pinning me down beside the babies.

"I didn't. You didn't want more kids." Nick kissed my neck slowly, teasing me with his teeth on the sensitive skin, that hungry look back. "I'm not complaining but I have to admit, I am tempted to get that vacetamy."

I snorted as he nibbled on my neck, eyes shutting when I felt his hand slide up my top, hips grinding gently against mine between my legs.

"We can't with them there."

"I know." He groaned, softly, but he glanced at the sleeping babies. "We can't move them either. Look at them. So cute. So peaceful."

He slowed his grinding, relaxing on me, and we watched them sleep, arms and legs curved in the way tiny babies always did, their dark hair on their pale scalp. I reached out to touch Rose's leg, a birthmark on her ankle, as she slept peacefully.

"I have to give them back."

"Only for a week." Nick reminded me, voice soft, as he watched me admire the birthmark. "We'll get some sleep, have sex, have some fun, and then be all rested to do it all over again."

"Sex?"

"Yeah. It's this thing people used to do." He teased. "I'll teach you."

"Nick, we've still got triplets to duck around." I reminded him, as he shut his eyes, almost exactly the same moment I heard a tiny fist on the door. Someone was looking for us and had found us.

Nick lifted his head as the door opened, Susie on her tiptoes to twist the door handle, a mixture of pride and exasperation as she got it open. It was the first time she 'd reached the door handle. The first time any of them had reached the door handle, I realised, and stared in wonder as Dominic and Lily followed Susie inside.

"She's getting taller than the other two." He slid off me, as she raced into the room ahead of the other two, opening his arms for them. "So tall now. My babies are getting so tall."

"Baby?" Dominic asked, softly, as I helped him onto the bed. He crawled onto his belly beside the sleeping babies, touching them gently as I watched, and I wondered how much he understood now. They played with baby dolls, so they knew something.

"This is your little brother and your little sister." It was the first time I'd introduced them as that, unsure of how to explain it, how to explain why they vanished ...but Dominic seemed to not care about the complexities of how or where they'd come from. He accepted it and watched them sleep.

"Daddy told me." Dominic let me know. He patted their chest. "Gentle." He gazed up at me, those wise brown eyes meeting mine, and when I smiled he mirrored it, relaxing on his arm as he patted their chest so gently, as if they'd break.

"I told them all about the new babies." Nick informed me, as he lifted both girls up with a oof, the two of them crawling over to stare too. "You touch them very gently. They will be here with us sometimes and go somewhere else sometimes."

"Why?"

"Because they have another daddy who wants to see them." He explained, softly. "He lives somewhere else."

"Where?" Susie asked, touching a foot, Rose kicking gently against her hand.

"Far away." I said quietly. I didn't know anyway.

Nick answered their questions then, about where babies came from, and I lay there watching him handle the questions like a pro. Or at least, like a guy who'd had more sleep than I had.

I'd missed breakfast, so busy trying to calm the babies down, but Nick pushed me to go get some. We needed to eat to stay in control and tonight, with what we had to do, I needed that control more than ever. The house was empty when I went down, except for Clayton, who was sitting in the kitchen reading a book. Seeing him read was always interesting- he read fast and never seemed to need to re-read anything.

He slid a cup over to me, coffee, and I gladly accepted it without question. While I made breakfast, he read, but he was watching me too.

"Got them to sleep?"

"They just wanted me to sing. Guess they like music." I replied as I sat down to eat the plate of leftover stuff.

He nodded a fraction. I ate as he read, the two of us going quiet, and I yawned. Long night, anxiety, babies waking up all the time... god, as cute as they were, I did not miss this part. The sleepiness nights. I would have gladly taken them _all_ on, if I could have the babies all the time, but …

A fist lunged at me, sudden, and I just barely moved out of the way, the edge of Clay's knuckles grazing my cheek. I barely had time to think before another fist came and slammed into my side, as he attacked, the book dropped.

"Wha-"

There was no time to finish the word, I ducked, and tried to evade, or lessen the blows, but after a minute there wasn't really much choice than to attack back. Something crashed to the kitchen floor as I tried to match him, blow for blow, no time for sleepiness either.

He was training me again, I saw that look of intense concentration and apathy in his face, a sudden lesson that I had not been anticipating. Testing me. It had to be that- Nick would have been down in a second otherwise- we were making enough noise to be heard from the second floor.

The funny thing was though, as the minutes went by, as his fist crashed into my body, my head started to spin, and it got harder to anticipate, or to move a different way, or to concentrate on pointing feet in the 'wrong' direction. Clayton didn't let up as I got dizzy. I swore he got even more brutal then, his training agony, and only when I tipped over, head spinning too much to stand up straight ,did he stop and grab my shoulders to stop me from hitting the ground hard.

Last thing I was aware of, he was lowering me to the ground carefully, and then stepped away back to his book, as if he'd done nothing.

I slept, I suspected, because when I woke the light in the kitchen was different and my dishes were gone. The broken china was gone too, and Clayton was reading a different book, sitting somewhere else, glancing up as I sat up and reached for my aching head.

"What was that about?"

"Attacks aren't always organised times of the day." He replied, shutting it, and twisted around to face me. "And you've gotta learn to check your drinks for drugs."

Oh. Shit. That explained the nice 'here's a coffee for you' greeting that wasn't exactly Clayton's style.

"How'd I do?" I felt like I'd failed somehow, breathing hurt, I felt a bruise on my arm, though he'd avoided the face.

"Good reflexes for a while. Bad drug detection." He strode over to help me up. "It's just a mild sedative. You should be good in half an hour."

"Did Nick know about this?"

"It was his idea." He smiled somewhat, glancing up.

I made a mental note to hit Nick and flopped beside Clayton, rubbing my light head, a slight sense of nausea in the pit of my stomach. Mild sedative or not, I felt like shit. Clayton offered a glass of water and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Nothing in this one."

Carefully I sipped it, but tasted nothing but plain tap water, so I drank a little and waited.

After half an hour, Clayton brought over two glasses of coffee and pushed them in front of me. "Here. Tell me which has the drug."

"If I taste them-"

"You might feel a bit strange. Don't drink too much." He sat back down and waited, nothing in his face giving away which had it, blue eyes fixed on me.

I sniffed them both first, inhaling each, my sensitive nose working through the complex tangle of scents that was inside the cup. Usually, when we heard or smelt the world, our brain would mix it all together unless we concentrated. If I concentrated though, if I was aware of it, I could untangle that 'mixture' into different things. It was difficult to explain, humans had no clue, but scents had information. That was why dogs marked trees- not just because they smelt differently, but because their marking contained all kinds of information, what they ate, how healthy they were, if they were in season if they were a female, who they were, how strong they were, how old they were... it was like a facebook profile, filled with details that other dogs could smell. Some 'profiles' were interesting to dogs, some weren't, which was why sometimes a dog wanted to spend a _really long time_ sniffing another dog's pee or behind.

The two cups of coffee had their own information to give. If I had been a wolf I would have read more into it, smelt more, but I still had the ability to separate the sugar, raw sugar, the milk- full cream, just about ready to go off, and the coffee beans- the extra strong Brazilian ones. The really strong smelling ones. They covered all the other scents better than the mild roast beans. It should have been easy, to detect drugs, but I didn't just smell today's coffee. No, I smelt traces of a cup of tea, of soup, other coffee from some days ago... we really had to wash it better. Mostly we just rinsed them to save time.

But I found it. The one in the blue mug had something else, something a bit strange, and I wondered if the milk was fresh after all. When I pushed it at him he nodded.

"You got to do it faster than that." Clayton pushed it back at me. "Look like you are just enjoying the aroma. Or the taste. Here. Taste it."

"I thought you said not to drink it?"

"Just put it in your mouth and then spit it out." He waited.

I did that, tasting it, the taste of coffee easily overwhelming anything else. To really smell or taste the drug, you really had to concentrate, get through all the stronger smells. Then I spat it out and Clayton went to tip both cups down the sink.

He stood there for a few minutes, making two more cups, and then brought them back.

"Now, same deal, but you have ten seconds to pick. Then you drink it all."

"Ten seconds?"

"You'd get two seconds tonight at dinner. Ten seconds. Ten, nine, eight-"

I bent over them, fumbling a little as he rushed me, trying to hurry the 'find the drug' thing. He counted down, anxiety building in me as I struggled to get through the smells of the beans, until I thought I might have found the right now. Just as he stopped counting. They both smelt odd, sort of, but I wasn't sure if that was because one had the older milk or had juice in it once or something.

"Drink the clean one."

I drank the one I thought was the 'clean' one, as Clayton watched, the hot coffee a little hotter than how I usually had it. Did he put Elena through this? Probably. He'd probably put the kids through it too. If he didn't, I would, he was right. It was important to know how to use your nose.

When my head started to spin again, that increasingly familiar 'the world's spinning', I frowned and he shrugged.

"They both had it. Nearly."

"Bugger." My forehead met the counter as the sedative overwhelmed me _again_, maybe on top of the other one, eyes shutting.

This went on till lunch, three hours of him giving me drinks and having me identify them. Clayton didn't let me drink any other drinks, though, he wanted me to be perfectly awake that night when I had to be. He went through wine, tea, plain water, drumming in the smell of chemicals into my head until I more or less could pick it out in seconds, the smell of something faint that didn't belong there. Nick had to do the changing of the twins after all, Clayton wouldn't let me have a break, but that didn't bother him so much. He was probably more afraid of what would happen to me if I got drugged again, tonight, than of bad smelling nappies and three demanding toddlers.

We didn't discuss Elena. I saw her briefly, as she came out for a coffee, but she vanished into the study again, and I heard Jeremy in there. A phone. Clayton didn't say a word to her, just reached out as she stood there to make the coffee, his hand brushing her arm. I could tell, whatever she decided, he was going to accept it. Like it? Probably not, particularly if she agreed to the trade, but he was going to back her up no matter what she decided.

I wondered if Demetruis had any clue what kind of enemy he was making in Clayton. Or in the pack.

Finally, Clayton stopped 'training' me, and we had lunch. Real lunch. Nick brought the babies down and the toddlers followed behind, sitting at their little table to eat their sandwiches, while we sat and ate quietly.

"That resistance group wants hybrids, yeah?" I asked it softly, watching the babies dozing in their 'daytime' crib in the corner, the mobile dancing overhead in slow lazy circles.

"Seems like it."

"What if he's apart of it?" It struck me suddenly that if he was apart of it, what better way to get power in it than to have children that they wanted? I didn't know. He'd had hybrids years ago. Maybe they'd contacted him first.

"He might be." Clayton agreed softly. "Thought about that. Babies aren't good warriors though."

"No." Whatever he wanted with his kids, whatever expectations he had, Demetruis would have to wait a long time. "But they're good blackmailing tools."

Nick reached out to grasp my hand under the table.

"They are." He agreed again, Clayton's eyes moving to the two tiny bodies, probably thinking of the agreement I'd had to make just to get them like this. Or maybe not. I had no clue- it was hard to tell what was going on in his head.

I couldn't see him able to let go of Elena's baby, if she did have one, even if it wasn't his. By default, whatever was hers, was his, and the offer was as much going to tear at Clayton as it was her.

Just like it had with Nick.

I squeezed Nick's hand, unable to know what to say now, the sense of 'trapped' still closing over me. Trapped, netted, caught, and it set my teeth on edge. "It's one hell of a trap we're in."

"Yeah." Nick muttered.

"You ever seen a wolf in a trap? They'd rather chew their own leg off than surrender." Clayton reminded me, as he stood up, picking up the two books. "Drink a lot of water and pick something out for tonight. Low. Distracting. He's still a mutt and you're both still got that scent on you." There was a small smile, suddenly. "There are some advantages to being a woman that we don't get. Distraction is a good tool."

"Leave that to me." Nick grinned, somewhat, relaxing a little. "She'll look distracting."

"I'd like your help too, Nick." That was Elena, coming back out, rubbing at the shadows under her eyes. She looked buggered- exhausted, her silvery blonde hair in a messy ponytail that had probably been in the same place for the past day, her clothing crumpled. We both looked like a mess, I realised, as I caught my own reflection.

"Any luck finding him?" Clay asked, softly, as he made his way to her and wrapped his arms around her.

The words shocked me. Of _course_ they wouldn't just sit on their ass here and wait for the meeting tonight. That was where everyone was. They were _looking for him. _I didn't know why I'd assumed the pack would do anything different.

"Got him located in a hotel." She replied softly. "The men watching the property are being watched now. None of them are werewolves but Lucas believes they are supernaturals, any high ranking family in the Cabal would have them for guards and nothing else."

"How high ranking is his family?" I asked, finally, as she sat down. I had wondered, vaguely, but there had usually been bigger problems to ask about than that. Right now, he was mutt first to me, the sorcery nothing more than a problem. Like an annoying fly that kept darting around my head.

"There's four main families in the Cabal. Luca's father is the head of one family. Demetruis's own father, who is alive but sick, is the head of one of the other families. His mother acts on his behalf."

Demetruis's mother was the head? Of one of the four main families running the whole Sorcerer show?

"She's running one of the main families?" I remembered her. Little old lady, cared for Nick, and the Cabal gassed her by accident when they were going for Aaron. Out of the entire world, I might have never thought ...but then, who ever did think a little old lady was dangerous?

"She is. Demetruis is her son. Her _only_ son. His younger and older brothers died of accidental causes over the past forty years." Elena's lip twitched at the word accidental. "He's around sixty, which for a sorcerer, isn't a humans idea of sixty. More like forty."

"He looks old." I muttered. He was only a bit older than Nick then, I thought as I reached for Nick's hand, Nick stroking the back of my hand with his thumb as he listened and stayed quiet.

"Not many people look their age." Clayton reminded me. "Not in this world."

I nodded, eyes going over him – muscular, blonde curls, the faint trace of a few lines, but looking like he was in his mid thirties, and hten to Nick, who wasn't as muscular, but he also looked around that age. Like they'd only just started to get a few creases in their face, a few white hairs, nothing close to the real age they were. Antonio was in his seventies now and he looked mid forties, as did Jeremy, and Elena... I wasn't even sure how old she was. She didn't look it, whatever age she was, she was stunning. Even right now with the shadows under her eyes and the exhaustion, the woman was stunning, strong, leggy, tall...

"Yeah, not many people look their age."

We heard the cry of one of the babies, I wasn't sure who, and I got up as Nick did.

"I'll get bottles, you get babies." He offered and I nodded.

As we sat there and fed them, I leaned against Nick, relaxing. Stupid domestic stuff. Babies. Cleaning. Cooking. Sewing. All stuff I treasured, really treasured, because outside this property... I had to go super ball busting werewolf chick on them. On the mutts. On the world. I wondered how the ex-alpha would react if he saw me there sewing something for the toddlers to wear. He'd probably think he was hallucinating.

"How old do I look?" I finally asked it, giving in, and Nick reached over to brush the hair out of my face.

"Barely eighteen. Could pass for younger depending on what you wear." I snorted and he shrugged, grinning, an arm draping over my shoulder. "Seriously. You look eighteen. Don't you see the looks I get when we're kissing in public?"

"You don't get looks." I was suddenly tempted to go find a mirror and really look. Didn't beauty creams claim to take off ten years? Get a bite and you really looked ten years younger. "How old did I look when you married me?"

That grin got wider, and he leaned over to nibble on my neck. "Sixteen."

"Really?" I wasn't sure if I was shocked or not. He had to be kidding.

Nick shook his head, nuzzling against my ear as he brushed the hair out of his way, teasing the sensitive curve of it with the edge of his teeth. I shivered and shut my eyes. "You looked unhappy and scared and your age was the last thing on my mind. I didn't notice till you started to smile again. You looked the same age you do now. I met you before though, remember? I knew how old you were."

I shivered, as his arm slid further, so his hand could slide down and stroke the skin just above the bra. "Babies. Not now."

"No, in about..." He twisted that arm around so he could see the watch on his wrist. "An hour. I've paid Elena and Clay to take care of them for a few hours."

There was that intense look, that hungry look, breaking through the grin for just a moment. He was serious. It made heat swim in my stomach, pool there, breathing go a bit faster, I and I wanted to kiss him so damn hard right now... I knew I was giving him the same hungry look. Babies. Feedng. I had to change the subject. "What kinds of looks do you get with me?"

He broke the eye contact, the energy between us not fading as fast as the contact, and his arm moved back up so his hand was on my shoulder. "The kind you give a thirty year old man groping a barely legal girl." He chuckled, softly. "Lillian, my mum, she had trouble believing me when I told her you weren't a teenager when I got you pregnant."

I suddenly couldn't wait to age a bit more. Look a little less …innocent. No wonder why I got away with pretending to be interested in mutts. They had no clue how not innocent I really was. "Shit. Can I borrow your wrinkles?"

He frowned, reaching up. "I have no wrinkles."

"If you rush off for botox, I'm killing you, I love them." I nipped his hand, gazing at him, again wishing the hour wasn't an hour. He was sexy. I couldn't help it. Something about him, I just couldn't get over, even after all this time. Maybe it was because our sex life was delayed, and interrupted, and put on hold ...but when we got the chance...

Nick caught my gaze, his smile faltering, and then he gently tried to get Reece to drink just a little bit faster.

It was an hour before they were done and asleep, another half hour as we tried to convince the toddlers we were going to be back and they were napping down here with the babies, and then we were upstairs, rushing, laughing and shoving each.

"Why right now?" I asked, as he stripped me so fast that fabric gave, and he grinned. Nick didn't answer, he picked me up, dropped me on the bed and stepped back to strip as I watched every last inch of his olive skin appear, imagining in my mind how that spot felt, so familiar with him that I knew... knew without touching... how it felt, how he smelt right now, everything. Shirt gone, the pants went with it, his body as toned as his arms were, every inch of him. Nick took care of himself. I resisted the urge to laugh, as he didn't just do that, he also trimmed himself. Down there.

He climbed onto the bed, tugging my pants off, or tried to, because I was holding onto them. Teasing him. Nick growled, we struggled, battling with the clothing, more fabric giving way, more ruined clothing, laughing and growling at each other... and when he'd gotten the last of my clothing off, he paused above me.

"Because you're mine. I want him to smell _me_ all over you tonight." He replied, shifting up so his body was over mine, Nick's eyes fixed in mine as he entered me slowly. He smiled, brown eyes in mine as he watched my breath get faster, my eyes half closing, I know he was as much in love with my reaction as with the sex itself. "All over you."

Afterwoods, I lay there exhausted all over again, panting against the bed, Nick half asleep against my back. He hadn't been kidding about it. He'd made sure he'd been 'everywhere'. Even where I thought I'd never let anyone, which had amused him, but he was so careful... it wasn't like the rape, as strange as it was for him to go back there, it hadn't really hurt. Only a little. I could smell him all over my skin. Everywhere, even in my mouth, and I knew... or I _hoped_... Demetruis would notice it too. Was that sick? Twisted? Wanting him to smell my lover on me? Maybe. I didn't really care.

He kissed my sweaty shoulder, his leg over mine, hips against my behind as his body softened and relaxed. "You ok?" The hand that'd made sure I felt good was still there, relaxed between my legs, and he moved it so he could hug me closer.

"Yeah. Why hadn't we done that before?" I rolled onto my back, gazing up at him, seeing the splash of red against the sheets.

"Because you got hurt there. I wanted to wait." Nick followed my gaze and he frowned. "Guess I didn't do as well as I thought."

"You did good. Come here." I kissed his neck, pulling him against me, my smell equally covering him. Best perfume ever.

"You ready for tonight?" He asked, against my neck, shifting his body so that he could lie there.

"Nope. You?" I wanted to relax too, I wanted to shut my eyes and go to sleep, but I was suddenly aware that I needed to see the twins. The sex was good- it was a release, a comfort, a feeling and a smell I could take with me to tonight... but ...now it was time to be with them.

"Nope." Nick relaxed for a few seconds. When I didn't, he sighed, slid up, and helped me stand up with him. "Ok. Shower, twins, then you dress."

"You ordering me?"

"Of course." He grinned, lifting me up in his arms, the effort a little more now without his strength.

Then, suddenly, time sped. I sat with them, treasuring every last second as if this was the last time I'd see them, while Nick tried to keep himself from stressing by taking the 'distraction' part seriously. Maybe a little too seriously. He wanted Elena and I to match, or contrast, or whatever he'd put it. A double-distraction.

I suddenly wondered why it was so important to distract Demetruis but no one told me a reason, except that we had to stay calm and keep as much control tonight as possible. If my breasts were going to do that, or Elena's stunning looks, then I'd go with it.

Lifting Rose onto my shoulder, I yawned, eyes shutting, her own tiny mouth copying mine. Or had I copied her? Who knew.

"Is peanut asleep?" Nick asked, as he came in, holding up another knee length dress, a pale one that was just a touch warmer than white, a few shades lighter than my own looked a bit innocent too, bare arms, low cut neckline, I wondered if he was playing up the 'you're just barely legal' crap he'd told me about earlier.

"Peanut?"

"Reece. Peanut."

I smiled at that, chuckling softly, as I gazed at 'Peanut' beside me. That was right, America had some kind of peanut butter thing, and it was probably weirding Nick out to call the baby Reece when Reece himself was here. "Yeah. Both happy. Both asleep. If they wake, I sing, then they go back to sleep. Do I have to wear a dress?"

I'd seen Elena was wearing a short dress and pants, apparently, black pants and a turquoise dress that ended high up on her hips. Or it was a long top. I didn't know how to tell the difference. She was already wandering around in it, her long silvery hair loose, looking fairly scary and powerful. At least to me. Maybe that was because of what she was walking into.

"Yeah. You're looking innocent, she's looking powerful."

"He knows what I did to his son, Nick." I reminded him and he shrugged.

"Yeah and he thinks he has a hold on you. So you're playing victim." He held it against me. It had flowers on it, just tiny green stitches making the shadows of flowers on the fabric, and nodded. "Okay. Here, pass me Rose, and you get dressed."

I changed there, not caring if anyone walked into the living room, as Nick watched and patted Rose's back gently. It was a bit short for me, I bent over, plucking at the hem, and knew he'd gotten an eyeful with the low cut neckline.

"Yeah, that's distracting." Nick grinned. "Is that the blue bra I bought you?" He reached out to pull it down more. "Cute."

I stuck my tongue out at him, yanking the neckline out of his grasp, hiding the baby blue thing. He bought them all for me now, I didn't mind so much, so it was a pretty pointless thing to ask. "Isn't it a bit short?"

Nick ran his free hand up my bare legs, right up to where it stopped halfway up my thighs, and shook his head. "It's fine. Relax. You want to be able to move without a dress ...how do you Aussies put it? Buggering up your legs."

I was tempted to tell him that 'buggering' could be several things, including what he'd done with me earlier, but resisted. That could be for another time. Instead I headed upstairs and shaved, tugging on the dreaded heels, glad at least to see they were just slip on. So they could be slipped off.

Elena came into the bedroom as I was staring at the cork heel things, shaking her head, her own black heels in one hand. She looked gorgeous, her silvery blonde hair brushed till it shone, a touch of make-up, the blue-green setting off her eyes in an incredible way, and the top low enough for just a tease of her chest. Like mine. Nick knew exactly how to show us off. "Can't put them on yet?"

"We can delay it till the last second." I decided, throwing them on the bed beside the bag, and she smiled somewhat and did the same thing. "So what's the plan?"

"There'll be a car waiting outside and a nanny, to collect the children, apparently. We hand them over, we go inside with Reece, and he'll be waiting." She reached out to touch my arm as I flinched. "Just a week."

"Yeah. Then what?"

"Then Nick and Clayton sit outside and watch. And we talk." She sat down on the bed and I sat down beside her.

"Then what?" I wanted to ask her if she had agreed or not. I couldn't ask though.

"Savannah is going to be here with Adam and the kids." Elena didn't tell me her decision. "The rest, trust me, it's under control."

"Is it?" I wasn't so sure. I didn't feel like it was. It felt like we were going in, Elena's entire world at the end of a 'gun', and she had to decide.

"Yes. Now get that shit on your face and practice smiling." I was so busy being shocked at her swearing, that she was already up and out of hteb edroom, as Nick came in. He handed me a box out of his pocket.

"What is it?"

"Open it. It was something for Valentine's day but ...well, I didn't find you." He sat down beside me, leaning against me, an arm wrapping around my waist.

I opened it and found myself staring at a thin long chain, diamonds ...or something sparkly... along it, and something about Tiffany. The urge to ask how much it had been came, then I shoved it down, hoping it wasn't expensive.

"I know you don't like lots of big flashy things." He asked, softly, waiting.

"It's beautiful." I counted the shiny stones. Thirteen of them, so delicate, but so ...sparkly, catching the light so easily, as if they themselves had light inside them. They had to be the real things. "Are they diamonds?"

"Not telling you. If I do, you'll never wear it." He grinned and lifted up my hair, brushing it to one side, before taking it out of the box. "Wear it tonight."

"I didn't get you anything."

"Not yet." He agreed, kissing the nape of my neck as he did it up. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you get. Wrist?"

I blinked. Nick tugged another box out, amused at my surprise, and carefully strapped something that had a lot more sparkly stone and was a lot more flashy. Three strands of them, these shiny stones, in incredible detail on tiny chains... the bracelet itself wasn't large or obvious but when I stared at my wrist, it was clearly _not_ cheap.

"How m-"

Nick kissed me then, hard, pushing me back onto the bed, cutting me off with determination as I tried to ask. "Shh. Wear them for me. Let him see them."

It struck me, suddenly, that he really was nervous. Or jealous? Or angry? It was hard to tell, he was kissing me so hard it made my lips bruise slightly, his body pressed against mine.

"It's okay." I murmured against his lips. "Everyone's there. Savannah's here."

"I know." He breathed out, slowly, tension still in his body as he kept me there. "I know. But forget the cost. Just wear them."

"You gave them to me. I don't care if they were two dollars at walmart." I meant it too. Somehow, though, I suspected neither cost two dollars. "I wear anything you want."

Nick laughed and slid up. "I know you do. Come on."

I made him hurry with the make up part, staring at my reflection and suddenly realising he was right, that I did look like a teenager, and prodded my face. How strange. I didn't feel like a teenager and I had never thought about how I'd look to others, not really, or how people would react to me with Nick. It didn't put me off, exactly, instead I sort of felt tempted to provoke them _more_.

Whatever thoughts I had about that had to go though as I headed downstairs and realised that everyone was getting ready to go. Savannah and Adam were here now, the car seats in the car, and Nick's arm tightened around me as I froze.

Suddenly, it was really happening, not just a vague 'in a while'. I had to give them back.

I sat in the back with them on either side, no one tried to suggest I do anything different, hands on their tiny bodies as they slept. So unaware right now, so happy to sleep and have their needs met, it was a peace I wished I could have.

We arrived, the resturant full, but no 'nanny' outside. I stood on the outside of the car, armss crossed, waiting, trying to convince myself to not attack them on site. This was how it worked. I had one week, he had the other, and the last thing I wanted to do was make myself get into worse trouble over this. Reece strode over, in his suit, a relaxed hug as he came to stand on one side of me, Elena sliding out to stand on the other side.

I shifted from foot to foot, leaning against the door, my anxiety over handing them over shifting to something else. Where was he? Reece checked his watch, I glanced over to see it was already seven thirty, and I could feel the car shift as one of the babies started to stir for their next feed. They'd have to feed them in the car.

Two people came out of the restaurant, Lucas and Paige, and they came over to us as Elena waved.

"What's going on?"

"Not sure." Elena answered.

I checked my phone. No messages.

"What time did you agree to the trade?" Lucas asked, softly, as he moved to stand beside me.

"I don't know. Why?"

"You're supposed to forefill your turn, before exactly a week passes, so you want them to be in his care before them." He glanced at Elena/

"If he doesn't show?"

"He's here. Somewhere." Lucas muttered. "Watching. I'm sure of it."

I wondered how he knew. I inhaled, slowly, trying to smell him. Nothing, just the smell of humans, perfume, chemicals, food inside the restaurant, sweat in the hot night, and it was difficult to tell who was who beyond the ten metres I could see around me. "If he doesn't come here?"

"It's your duty to deliver them. The agreement would be broken by you." He didn't need to tell me again what that meant.

The words hung in the air, heavy, and I tried to not panic. Tried to not see his suggestion for what it was supposed to be.

"What if he's intimidated by Clayton and Nick being here? If it was just the two of us?" I asked, as I glanced at Elena, her eyes already in mine.

"You want us to wait with them, and no one else?" Elena asked, softly, glancing back at the tinted windows.

I nodded.

We tried that. Half an hour, as they slept in their car seats, now freshly changed and fed from inside. Paige and Lucas went inside, Clayton took off with the car, but there was again nothing. They all returned and by now I felt my heart race just a little bit more.

I could see him taking any advantage over us he could get right now. Particularly if he was with the 'resistance'. Taking me every second week, while it wasn't the same as fucking with our Alpha, was a slap in the face to the pack.

Elena checked the time I'd called her a week ago, trying to figure out how long we had, and the man only had twenty minutes before he showed.

"What kind of things can he ask me to do again?"

"He can't make you change your mind. You can't be told to like something you don't like. But you have to do things, even if you don't like them, unless they harm you." Lucas said softly. "The trick is to convince yourself that what he's asking you to do will harm _you_."

"Convince myself?" Like hypnotherapy. On myself. That wasn't impossible to do but I'd rather we didn't break it. "Can we locate him?"

"We're already on it." A voice came from behind me, the window down a crack, Clayton's voice soft enough so that only I and Elena was able to pick it up. "He's around. We've picked up traces of his scent."

"The bastard's fucking with us." Nick growled softly.

Ten minutes.

"I have to go with him?"

"If he requests it. But only every second week." Lucas nodded a fraction. He was on the phone now, moving away, speaking softly into it. "It will only work every second week."

The bastard showed up two minutes before the time was up, a nanny in hand, acting as if he had no clue why he was receiving glares. We put the babies in his car, trying to not hurry, but the act of doing that broke my heart. The nanny ignored me, ignored us, just slid into the front seat as the car pulled away with them. I swallowed, shutting my eyes a moment, as I heard one start to cry. Poker face. Had to stay calm. It was Elena's turn to need support.

"The reservation was at ten. Not seven." He seemed surprised. "Did my personal assistant give you the wrong time? I'll be sure to take action."

Again, it wasn't his fault, it was someone else fault. And it was more or less just after the time we'd made our agreement. I repressed a soft growl as he headed into the restaurant ahead of us. An old woman met him there, one I recognised from a while back, and I froze in surprise beside Elena as I realised who she was. His mother.

"This is my mother."

He made introductions. Apparently she knew Lucas by reputation, through his father, and there was a similar polite stiffness on his end. She barely looked at me, the mother of her own grandchildren, but somehow, I wasn't sure how, it was difficult to be angry with her. I'd always assumed Demetruis was old, based off his 'salt and pepper' hair, but compared to his mother he was youthful. She was bent over, silvery hair in a neat bun, diamonds winking around her neck and on her finger, well dressed, soft spoken, and gentle mannered. She took greater interest in me when he informed her I'd been the one to assist him in the two children, but only a fraction, before we were sat down. Lucas and Paige sat some distance away together.

Reece stayed on the other side of Elena, barely speaking, not there to be nice or friendly. I was so used to his friendly side that I'd never seen this side of him, this cold slightly intimidating side, with an expression that I wondered if he'd copied off Clayton.

It was a strange thing, to be sitting there waiting for food, discussing random topics that had no meaning whatsoever. Small talk when he was waiting for Elena to hand over her body, more or less, it made no sense. Demetruis insisted that we save 'business' for after the meal.

My eyes kept going to his mother though, who didn't speak much except for brief sentences in Greek, sometimes in English, barely looking at us. She was fragile, it seemed, compared to him. Demetruis, however much an asshole I thought he was, was a mother's boy completely. There was always one eye on her. Could she really be the head of a 'big' family in the Cabal? I had no clue.

Like Clay taught me, I made sure what I was drinking and eating wasn't messed with, and from the slight pauses from Elena and Reece, I knew they were also doing the same.

Reece flashed me a brief smile though, when they weren't looking, probably trying to get me to relax. I didn't return it. Maybe I had my own version of that face on. After the bullshit- waiting for him to show up, feeling those shackles tighten more and more- and having to watch the twins get taken away... it wasn't going to happen.

The dinner stretched on, too long, the tension in me building. I felt Elena's leg brush against mine, gently, her own stress hidden in everything except for the tense muscles in her leg. She was worse than I was and hid it so well...

Finally, it was done, coffees were out, bill paid and he straightened.

"We can discuss this in my hotel room."

"We discuss this here." Elena replied, stiff, as she kept in her seat.

Demetruis raised an eyebrow and remained where he was. "We speak alone though. You and myself. Not my mother will be here, nor these two, though they may stay close by."

Neither I or Reece liked that, I suspected, but Elena nodded a fraction. We got up as his mother got up, guided by a quick conversation with him in Greek, and went to sit near Lucas and Paige.

Lucas looked a bit surprised. "What's going on?"

"They're discussing it alone."

Demetruis's mother had vanished. So too, I noticed, had everyone else. The entire restaurant was empty. No one in the kitchens, no one in the room, no other patrons. It was just us. I stiffened, Reece sliding across, glancing at me. He was still human, technically, and I'd forgotten that. He was depending on my ears.

They all were.

I leaned back, yawning, as I scribbled it down. Paige read it and stood, saying something about needing the bathroom before the long drive back, and she headed off. Reece agreed and went too. Lucas and myself stayed there, stayed still, and I listened beyond the building. Cars were going past outside. I couldn't tell if Clayton and Nick were outside though- if they were, the car was off.

I saw the flash before the sound reached my ears, a fraction, a blinding flash outside. And then the explosion, an explosion so loud that it shattered the windows inside, my mind suddenly slowing down the entire world. I saw it. The dark car, Clayton's car, and the sudden flash underneath, then the blooming red of flame explode up and out and around, enclosing it, a sense of pain and panic flooding me, but not my own. Elena was standing too, suddenly, shielding her head and body from the flying glass, Demetruis sitting there sipping his coffee calmly as he seemed to be missed by every last chunk. So was she, I thought, not a bit was touching her. They were in a bubble.

This thought hadn't left my mind as I saw the glass fly at _us_. I felt a body shove me down, Lucas shielding me behind the table as glass flew over our heads into the wall behind us, exploding all around, raining down on bare arms and bodies.

Everything suddenly sped back up to normal, Luca's heart racing against my head, my arms around him and the two of us under the table. I wasn't sure when we'd gotten there, it seemed like I'd dragged us there, but it felt as if I'd only watched myself do it.

When we got up, another explosion, closer by, another car, tore into the wall beside us, bricks and stone and furniture exploding with it, and we dragged each other back under the table, crouching, I was aware that something was shielding us too. A bubble. Lucas's face was taunt with concentration. I stared up at him, as things flew around us, seeing the sweat, the anxiety, and ...my own face mirrored in his face, streaked with blood, fear in my expression that I didn't yet feel.

Then the roof caved in and I felt the fear crash through the odd numb feeling, all light and vision crashing away with it.


	13. Sanctuary

Suddenly, the world was blanketed out, and all I was aware of was our breathing so fast we were almost panting, the taste and smell of dust and burning in my mouth and nostrils, the table above us groaning, and Luca's arm over mine as we crouched there. It was black. Not quiet, exactly, I could hear things snapping around us, furnature giving way under the weight of whatever had fallen onto us, hear metal twing as it snapped, hear the distant crackle of something that smelt an sounded like flames.

A little light made me flinch, a globe of light appearing before us, Luca's soft "It's just a light ball," not helping. I was unfamiliar with a lot of their spells and magic. I knew some things, some things that had not had nice introductions, but had never cared about much more than that.

"Does it burn?"

"No." He slid down to sit cross legged, under the table, lowering it. "That must be something else."

So he'd noticed it too. I sat down as well, breathing hard, struggling with the panic that was battling to take over. The table groaned above us, the wooden legs bending like they were plastic, and Lucas muttered something under his breath.

It lifted up, somewhat, the groaning lessening. Right beside us I heard wood splinter and snap, the table that had been beside us giving way under the weight.

"How much fell?"

"It was a two story building. It could be a lot. I can hold it there for a while." He replied, but he didn't look up, as if he didn't want to see what he was trying to keep there.

"It can't have all fallen. Can it?" My breath hitched as I remembered what I'd seen outside. The car exploding, just across the street, the car that I knew wasn't just a random car. It had been Clayton's car. Clayton's car exploding. The car they'd been told to wait inside.

No, I tried to urge myself, as the panic screamed, don't panic. Don't think of it like that. They were smart. They might have heard something. Smelt something. I didn't know that they'd been inside, only that I'd seen it explode. I didn't see their bod-

Reece. Paige. They'd gone too. They had no table. What if the building had collapsed?

"There was a few explosions outside after the second, so close that it was hard to tell them apart." Lucas said quietly.

"Did he hide something in the building?" I wondered aloud, eyes still shut, breathing in and out hard as the panic made my chest hurt from the weight of it. I clutched to my knees hard, squeezing, getting as much of the excess energy out. Changing here wasn't going to be helpful.

"We checked it out beforehand. No."

We both flinched as we saw the table bend, just slightly, my eyes flying open and Lucas shut up, concentrating, sweat shiny on his face in the dim light of the lightball.

I should have realised something was going on when he made his mother leave. I breathed in and out slowly. Clayton's car had been destoryed first. In front of us. Destroyed our mates, the biggest threat to him, got them out of his way. And Elena...

"Elena."

"I know. We can't do anything." Lucas muttered. "There'll already be calls and my father will already know. Second we're dug out, we go after them, if Elena's gone. She's tough. She's probably handcuffed him to a burning pole."

Maybe. I wasn't sure. The panic I felt, the urge to scream, to cry, the fear that my mate was ...it was going to be just as bad for her. I didn't know how she took this fear. Hadn't I felt pain, when it'd exploded? Someone else's pain? "He killed our mates."

Luca's head shot up when I whined, his eyes fixed on me, suddenly apparently remembering what kind of crazy supernatural woman he was trapped with. "Calm down. You don't know that."

"That a spell too?" I muttered, at his words, 'calm down' full of so much pressure. If only it was that easy. This horrible image of Nick in the car, the car on fire, exploding, burning hi... my breathing got faster, my heart rate increasing, less control...

Lucas slapped me, a sharp slap, and I blinked at him, shaking my head, trying to get the image out.

"Not a spell. Common sense. I'm worried about Paige too. We've got to worry about them when we're on our feet."

Paige? I saw it then, the fear in his own face, and swallowed down mine. He was right. Fear was better used when we could hunt them down. "If she and Reece went to the kitchen they'd have sturdy benches to go under or be near a door."

"Yes." He didn't say anything else for a while.

We sat there, shoulders pressed up against each other, the table continuing to make heart stopping groans and shudders, Lucas struggling. How much was he trying to keep up with his spell? Or was fear making it harder for him? He didn't know if his wife was safe anymore than I knew Nick was safe.

I lifted my phone and saw it wasn't working- no reception. Too much shit on top of us.

"Mine was on the table." Lucas saw my face.

Great.

Time ticked past, so slowly, Luca's light ball wavering in strength as he tried to keep the table from collapsing under the weight of whatever was over us. The whole building? Only a part of it? I didn't know. The burning smell had gone for a while but it was back now, stronger, adding another problem we did not need. Particularly as I was smelling gas too.

Lucas didn't smell it, I suspected, because when I asked him what he smelt, he only mentioned the smoke. It was too light for his nose to pick up. But it would be enough to make the fire very happy if they met. We had to get out of here.

I glanced down at the floor boards, wondering what was under the building, if I could... break them apart. "Doesn't America have a lot of basements?"

Lucas followed my gaze and nodded a small nod. "Some old places."

This place was pretty old. I wondered why on earth they had so many basements, especially out here, if there were no tornadoes. It wasn't the time to ask though. I snatched a knife from the ground, a beautiful silver butter knife, brushed the glass off the wood, and tried to pry it up enough so I could grab it.

My own sweat beaded off my forehead as I found it harder than expected. There was only a tiny space under the table, too little for a good slam against it, the floor boards thick and the nails secure. We flinched as one of the table's four legs gave way and Lucas slid over fast to try and get some broken bricks under the spot, as the table started to bend that way.

I took the diamond bracelet off, sliding it into my bra to keep it safe, and slammed my fist hard on the wood, trying to get it to break, ignoring the pain exploding up my hand. Lucas swore as he used his shoulder to keep the table up, piling up the rubble, trying to keep the table from tipping or breaking the other leg.

He slid back suddenly, as the other leg snapped, the table sliding over us in a triangle, Lucas only just making it to my side. Rubble poured in through the opened gap, the two of us having to slide back, covering our faces with our arms as the dust rose and covered us again. The burning smelt closer now and the gas stronger.

"There's gas. Don't use any flames." I warned him. I shouldn't have to. We felt dampness, tasted water, and I glanced up. Droplets were finding their way through cracks.

"Probably firefighters." Lucas said softly. "Or a broken pipe."

I went back to trying to break the floorboards, hoping there wasn't concrete or something under us, seeing them start to splinter and shake with the force of my hand. I smelt blood, tasted dust, knew I was cutting my own hand on glass or rubble or something, but with the table already half dead, and Lucas struggling to keep it from going any more dead, that really didn't matter.

Using fingers and the knife, I pried them up, piece by splintered piece, and groaned as I saw exactly what I hadn't wanted to see. Concrete.

"Get the floorboards up and I'll deal with that." Lucas's eyes were on the table.

"Sure." Whatever he thought. I tried to get them up, sliding over to get enough up for us to get through, then shifted out of the way as best I could as he put his hand on the hard material.

There was a sudden impact on the concrete, harder than I did, though the table groaned and lowered as the vibration made the concrete crack and crumble a little. Lucas swore and lifted his hand, the table lifting.

"It should be easier to smash through it." He was breathing hard again.

I tried it, slamming my fist hard on it, and found he was right. It was falling apart, bits falling into a deep space, and I used my hands and elbow to jab and slam and hit and punch the last of the stuff out of our way. The hole underneath it was deep, dark, and from the limited light it got from the ball, it was exactly what we'd hoped for.

"Get down there." I muttered, reaching up as the table bent, trying to use my strength to keep it there. Slick blood made the wood slide against my hands.

Lucas shifted past me to go first, as the weight of the building got a little heavier, the light ball going with him. He dropped through the hole, I heard him find the ground awkwardly, a grunt of pain as a box or something tumbled out of his way.

"It's the basement all right." He called and I sighed, relieved.

Suddenly the third leg snapped, the table starting to tip, and I threw myself through the hole head first as it gave way, dust and shit coming through the hole after me, falling on top of Lucas' outstretched arms and a box, the two of us falling back onto the hard ground with curses.

We lay there, breathing hard, faces tense with pain, watching the hole as if expecting the entire building to fall right through it. Nothing. Once the rubble had settled, the table half blocking the hole, nothing more fell through.

Slowly, I breathed out, Lucas doing the same thing. We sat up slowly.

"You ok?" I asked.

He glanced at his ankle. "I twisted it a bit on landing. Should be okay. Nothing's broken. You?"

I lifted my hands and stared at them. Bloody, bruised, but I could move my hands. "A bit beaten up but nothing's broken here either."

"Werewolves." He shook his head, the trace of a smile, shifting onto his better side. "I envy that strength."

"I envy that spell you used on concrete. What was it?"

"Trade secrets. Not really. Just an exploding thing. Figured I'd give it a try." He shrugged it off.

The basement's ceiling groaned above us, our eyes going up, but there was no sign of it giving way. Water droplets came in through the hole we'd created, dribbling onto the ground, dust settling, the box of tinned tomatoes tipped over with cans all over the place. There was a wine rack, several bottles fallen and exploded on the floor, a few more intact and having survived the fall.

"Food, water, mood lighting. Just what we wanted tonight." I tried to joke. He smiled a tense smile as his eyes went around.

"Paige and Reece must have gone outside if they're not here." Lucas said quietly. There was a flicker of fear again, just for a moment.

"Probably." I hoped so. I hoped they'd have gone outside when they heard the first explosion, not turned around and come back for us, hoped they'd decide to inspect it...

Who knew.

I stood up and grabbed the broom. Lucas raised an eyebrow at me as I tried to push rubble, glass, and whatever else might cut or hurt us to a corner.

"Don't want to get cut on glass." I muttered. Okay. So I was coping with the situation by doing domestic shit. I guessed he hadn't seen many werewolves sweeping a broom around. He didn't comment, just watched as I channelled my panic into getting the floor clean, almost obsessive about clearing it of rubble and glass, my eyes going up as we smelt gas. Both of us.

"When that meets the flame, the flame will follow it." Lucas stood up, cringing, and I offered him toe broom to lean on. "We need to block that hole."

"Ideas?"

He shook his head slowly. "Probably could use a spell to repell it. Can't guarantee."

"So blocking it is better."

Lucas nodded.

We used cans. Neither of us could think of anything better and I could sort of crush them to fit it, sort of, trying to wedge as many into the hole as possible in order to keep anything burning out. It was obvious there was a good fire now, and a lot more water on the place, the heat in the basement starting to increase into a more uncomfortable warmth. They were just a thin metal, easily destroyed by fire, but if there was an explosion, maybe they'd hold up. Probably not. But I could pretend they would.

While I did that, Lucas used the broom to move around the room, the brush under his armpit, finding a smaller cupboard full of things. "We can go in here to be sure."

I nodded. Probably a better idea. The cans would probably become giant tomato filled bullets if the gas exploded all over the place.

I slid boxes over, as he instructed, so we could block the door from the inside. The air was going to get pretty nasty pretty fast, so we were going to leave it open a crack, but till they dug us out, it was the safer place to be if there was a fire above us. For now, anyway, to shield from an explosion. We had to get out if the fire got bad above us- it'd spread into the basement in no time.

We sat there for a long time, waiting, the smell of our fear mingling with the faint smoke, dust and dampness. Nothing exploded though, at least not down here, we heard several things that may have been something, felt the ground vibrate a few times and shake dust off the ceiling, but nothing much happened. I would have almost preferred it had. Sitting there, adrenaline pumping, tense, ready and waiting for action and... no action.

Just torture of waiting. Waiting. Expecting something to happen at any time and... waiting some more.

And trying to not think about what might have happened outside.

I glanced at Lucas as we waited. The whole supernatural world, it seemed, was beautiful. Stunning. And yet Lucas looked normal.

"What?"

"You look normal." I smiled, somewhat. "I mean, everyone's beautiful, but you look normal." At his raised eyebrow, I blinked, adding fast, "That's not an insult. It's just ...it's a good thing."

"Is it?"

"Yes."

Lucas smiled somewhat, leaning back, brushing the dust out of his hair. "After seeing what male werewolves look like, thanks, I think."

"You should see how long they spend in that gym to look like that. Or go running." I muttered. "I tried both and they bored me."

He laughed. "You don't look as toned as Elena."

I flushed but he wasn't insulting me. He was stating a fact. I wasn't- she was slender, leggy, toned. She used the gym, she ran, and I ...I did yoga. I walked. Clayton was getting me into some kind of shape, he'd been hitting me into it in training for months before the pregnancy, but I still didn't have that slender toned look they had. Maybe I didn't want it either.

We went quiet again, eating out of the tins or whatever else we found, figuring they wouldn't mind so much. I needed it more than Lucas did. The food calmed me down, gave me control over the panic, and my body was really struggling to stay in control right now. All you could eat first class cheese, and smoked meats, and fresh bread? Boxes of first class chocolate? Other things, other goodies they used in the kitchen... there was nothing like finding a pantry to hide in. I might have enjoyed it another time.

A sudden explosion overhead, the whosh of flames following the gas, and Lucas slammed the door shut hard as flames rushed in through the hotel in the basement ceiling, tins flying everywhere. The explosion went up walls, I felt them shudder, felt rubble collapse into the basement, a loud woomph as it collapsed down further. We leaned against the door, hot flames coming under the crack, breathing hard, and then it was done.

When we opened the door, the basement was on fire, rubble and wood and stuff burning and half filling everything, the wine exploding and catching alight, boxes on fire, the heat of the fire and smoke making us slam the door shut fast. Lucas shut the door and tried to block it with his jacket, or whatever else we found, trying to keep the smoke out.

"Shit." I reached down to touch my burnt ankles. The heels had sort of protected them.

"Agreed." He was reaching down too, yanking his shoes off, the rubber melting somewhat. "Shit."

The door was metal. I hoped it would hold, as we backed off it, stuffing food and stuff into the cracks, hearing the metal groan and complain as the heat increased behind it.

We backed up against the back wall, sitting there, bottles of water beside us. I wasn't sure what Lucas could do, but he seemed to be doing something, maybe keeping the flames back from the metal.

"Think they know we're here?" I tried to ask, instead of 'think they found their dead bodies?', and he nodded.

"Paige would be up there right now." He tried to smile. "Ordering them to hurry."

I didn't know if he was kidding or not about that. I hoped he was right about her being up there though. If she was there, Reece was there, and he _would_ be trying to get them to hurry. I smiled, glanced up, hearing the sound of water. More water now, pressured water, as if they were desperately trying to calm the fire down.

I ate, heard Lucas' amused chuckle at my reaction to stress, and he accepted a chocolate bar. It was getting hotter in here now, the chocolate melting in seconds in our hands, but the sound of water was increasing above us. If we'd have been up there still, we'd be not only burnt, we'd be now drowning in the stuff.

I felt something vibrate in the bag I was still hanging onto, grabbing for it, and found Reece's caller ID.

"Fuck. Where are you?" He said, the second I picked up, and I saw Lucas slide closer.

"Paige with you?" He asked, his ear pressed against the other side of the phone, I felt his shoulder shaking. "Are you safe?"

"She's standing closer to the fire but we're fine. Where are you two?"

"Basement." I replied. "In a pantry down here. There's a fire."

He swore, repeated this to someone. "The entire place is on fire. Half the building collapsed, explosions, looks like some cars were set off right against the side, now it's all on fire. Is Elena there?"

"No."

Reece didn't speak a moment. "I'll call you back. Don't do anything stupid down there. They're putting it out now."

He hung up and we sat there. I shut my eyes. He hadn't said a word about Clayton or Nick, but I hadn't heard either of them in the background, and I knew that Nick would have wanted the phone the second Reece got me. But maybe they hadn't know. Maybe Reece didn't tell him who he was talking to. Maybe he was holding one of the hoses himself. I laughed, a slightly hysterical laugh, avoiding Lucas' eyes now, rubbing my head. God. He'd go great in a fire-fighter's calender, that was for sure, topless, shiny with sweat... but I didn't know if he'd actually like the work itself.

"Reece said the entire place is on fire. There were a few cars set off beside us, half of the place collapsed on us, the other half is now burning away." I let Lucas know, rubbing my head. "Elena isn't with them. Sorry... I should have made Reece give Paige the phone."

"It's okay. She's up there." Lucas breathed out slowly. "I can talk to her in a bit. Did you see where Elena was?"

" Demetruis was shielding them both. He didn't look surprised." The memory of him sitting there, so casual, drinking coffee as the world exploded around them, it made me fear a little more. What the hell? Was he going to blame the explosions on his pet cat this time? A disgruntled ...delivery boy? If we saw him again at all?

No, we had to see him, because he had my children.

"If I'm dead, what happens to that contract?"

"Technally it still stands but if one half is dead, the other half isn't going to get bossed around much, is he?" Lucas replied. "Why?"

"If I pretended to be dead... and then showed up a few days after..."

"It's his obligation to hand you the twins in a week, dead or alive. But if you were dead, he'd have no problems with you. You think he tried to do it to get you out of his way? Take away his obligation?"

I nodded and Lucas leaned back, the two of us trying to ignore the increasing heat.

"It'd be an advantage. To play dead for a while."

"It would be." He agreed, nodding slowly. "We'd both have to."

"You ok with this?" I asked, softly.

Then I called Reece. He answered instantly. "I can't get anyone. You ok?"

"Have you told anyone we're alive?"

"Not yet. Can't even get close to Paige, they won't let me, I'm not sure how she got so close. Why?"

I repeated this to Lucas, then, "You need to pretend I'm dead. To _everyone_."

"Why?" Reece sounded stunned. I heard him stepping back.

"I can explain it." Lucas said softly. "Here."

He took the phone and explained it, as I tried to plug a bit of the door that had red hot smoke coming though, inhaling sharply as it burnt my fingers. Lucas put the phone on speaker so we could both listen.

Reece sounded almost annoyed.

"You can't ask me to do that."

"If he has Elena, if he's taken her, having him break the contract to me means we've got an advantage back." I replied. He didn't argue, just swore. "Is ..."

"Nick around?" Reece's voice softened slightly. "I don't know. I'm sorry. I know it was Clayton's car but they're not letting anyone near it. I don't know if he was there or not. I've been trying to find them for you."

I breathed in and out, slowly, eyes squeezing shut.

"It might not be how it looks." He added, quietly. "Just stay calm. Who can I tell?"

"My father." Lucas said. "In fact, I'll call him now. Just keep quiet."

"Not even Paige?"

My head swung up at that. I saw Lucas hesitate. He looked at me, then pursed his lips, shaking his head slowly. "Not yet. We need to know if Elena's safe or not first."

"Okay. I'll call later." Reece muttered. He hung up.

I waited while Lucas called his father. His father, apparently, was also outside. I didn't know or ask how he'd gotten here so fast but he agreed with what we were planning. They spoke softly, hurried voices, and then Lucas hung up and smashed the phone.

"He-"

"Better to get a new one. Can't track you." He replied, looking almost apologetic. "Sorry."

I nodded, seeing the logic, and slid back down, staring at my phone's corpse. It was already looking pretty sad anyway, the heat was making the plastic warp, and Lucas focused on the door.

It cooled down a little, again, and we went quiet.

"How is this going to work?"

"They're trying to keep the fire from spreading and beat it down now. When it dies down, they'll set up ropes, and we'll have to get out before dawn. It's just after two now. I'll keep us hidden under a spell, Dad has a car waiting, and he'll drive us somewhere. He likes your idea. I think Demetruis has been a thorn for a bit too long." Lucas explained quietly. "You have a diamond necklace, yes?"

I nodded.

"On the way out, we'll leave stuff. Your bag and necklace. My cell's up there. I'll set them on fire and we'll get out. That way they'll assume we were in there."

"My necklace?" My hand flew up to it, protectively, and he nodded, grimacing slightly.

"My wedding ring too. We'll try and leave them on the bag- so they're seen- they should be repairable."

"Is that necessary? Can't we just leave the bag?"

"You're wearing your necklace. It would seem more..."

He didn't have to say it.

"Okay. My ring too. _One_ of them." I muttered. I didn't want to abandon either of these rings, not really, but he was right. The wedding ring was a plain gold band. It was only a ring. It wasn't really important compared to Nick. The engagement ring, which had been repaired and restored, I was hanging onto that one. It'd been destroyed and manhandled too many times.

Lucas only had one ring. I hoped it survived.

"You can put the necklace in the bag though." He said, quietly, as I slipped it off.

I did that. It was so delicate... I didn't want to trust any sort of flames with it. At least it would break apart in a contained spot.

Even with these plans, we had to wait, the hours ticking by so slowly that I wished he'd saved the phone till we were 'escaping'. Finally, when the door wasn't hot, and the sound of water slowed, I nudged him.

He nodded, drew me closer, and we headed upstairs. How the fire-fighters didn't see us, as they stood around the edge, I didn't know. I suspected it had to do with whatever Lucas was doing, with his hand clasped around my arm tightly, trying to not trip or fall on the hot rubble that burnt our feet. Spurts of water, high pressure ones, almost hit us several times, water rebounding off burning rubble and soaking us from head to foot. But we wedged our things between rubble, Lucas setting them alight, the edges catching, and we hurried out of the way before a hose was directed on the fresh blaze.

I felt him falter, as he caught the sight of Paige, her face wet with tears, devestation and grief and fear, and saw him suddenly doubt the plan. I did too, at the look on her face, and Lucas stiffened slightly, inhaling slowly, trying to get himself to focus.

He pulled at me gently and we made our way to a car, sliding into it, his breathing a bit faster now.

"She'd never forgive herself if Elena got hurt and we didn't use this chance." He said, quietly, when we pulled away.

"If you say so." I said, quietly, the image of her face burnt into my head. God. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.

"This is my father. Benicio Cortez. This is Anne." He glanced at the front. I saw an older man, broad shouldered and body, looking like an older version of Lucas. He smiled at me, a smile that didn't really reach his eyes, but he reached out to clasp my hand.

"Good to meet you finally." He said, glancing at us, and I was aware we were soaking wet, covered in soot, ash, blood and dirt, sitting in a car that had to be valuable. "Thankyou."

"For?"

"Capturing Aaron and keeping my son safe. He told me that you broke through the floor." He smiled again, and maybe there was some gratitude there now. Benicio's eyes had gone to my bloody hands as he paused.s "We'll keep you hidden and pretend you were in there."

"He broke through concrete."

"I cracked it. She ended the job." Lucas explained. "After tearing her hands up getting floorboards up. Paige-" Lucas said quietly.

"I know. It isn't too long." Benicio replied, glancing at his son, and then turned back around. "She's a strong woman."

"She is." Lucas agreed, quietly.

"You could have survived. I could..." I tried, but Lucas cut me off, shaking his head gently.

"It's more believable if we were both there. We were sitting in the same place." Lucas shook his head. "No. Elena's the priority right now."

So was Nick, deep down, I knew I had to find out. But I didn't say anything. I watched the early morning light come over, the haze of smoke still in the sky from the fire, shivering a little in the wet clothing.

We were taken to a jet, Benicio, getting on it with us, a private jet that took off minutes after we got up the stairs. I felt again bad as I sat down, getting the seat messed up, but no one seemed to care. Lucas was just as bad, the two of us shivering, accepting soft blankets as they were brought back. No one besides Benicio and the bodyguard with him seemed to see us, and I wondered if we were still being concealed right now. Maybe.

The apartment we ended up in, in the middle of a city I didn't know the name of, was almost a welcome sight when I found it had clothes and a hot shower in it. While I was stripping I found the bracelet I'd slipped in my bra, the who knew how expensive thing, and fingered it in the dim light. Silly Nick. Diamonds were no where near as precious to me as him. I wondered if I could make him give it back when I came back. We'd buy the triplets... new tricycles. Or something.

My mind went to them and guilt washed over me, I froze as I undressed, aware that again I was going to be out of their lives. It was getting to happen _too much_. The occasional 'here, take them for a night' trick we'd pulled so we could have a bit of 'adult fun'... sadly, mostly, ending up being the two of us passing out from exhaustion after a few beers... but that was nothing like this. At least Ni...

I didn't know if Nick would be there.

I shoved the thoughts away, the familiar sensation of guilt and fear and craving for that drug returning, and piled the clothing onto the bench so I could shower and wash the muck off me. It was a week. I didn't know what Elena was going through, if he'd taken her, or if she was currently hog tying Demetruis and hailing a taxi back to Stonehaven. I didn't think he'd underestimate her like his son had but she was good. Really good. It was possible he'd try and get her into an agreement now instead. He'd never used violence with me, except when he'd lost his control once, so maybe he wouldn't again. Who knew.

The water ran away over me, shades of brown, red, other odd shades, maybe food fragments, I didn't know, and I stood there, cringing as the minor burns on my ankles protested, the cuts and scrapes in my hands got filled with water, clearing them all of debris and shit. I smelt the scent of food, pizza, and hurried. Another shower started up, probably an en suite or something, and I slid out of the shower and re-dressed in the clothing that'd been here. It more or less fit. Sort of. Some of it was a bit too small, and I had to change several times till I found something that wasn't too small, before I slipped the bracelet in a pocket and went out to find a medical kit.

Pizzas waited on the bench, beside something that looked like bottles of beer, but I ignored those. I knew that it was a normal thing people did when they were stressed but I wasn't interested. Not with Nick missing, not with the impact I'd have to force on everyone, not with Elena missing. Beers were for celebration. Relaxation. Love. I'd bought some for Nick's birthday and hidden them months ago- they were expensive, his favourite, and I knew that closer to his birthday he liked to stalk me and spoil surprises.

"How are your hands?" Lucas asked as he came out, rubbing the towel in his hair, looking just as bruised and messed up as I did. But we'd survived.

"They'll heal. Got any nasty cuts?" I held up the kit I'd located.

"I think on my back."

"I'll fix it before you cover my hands in bandages and take away their mobility. Oh, wait..." I paused. "Have you been sick?"

"Yes. That's why I struggled so much tonight. It works when I'm in situations like that, when it's life or death, but not for long. My father hid us in the end." He nodded a fraction, a tense smile. "I thought you knew."

"Lucky we got into the basement."

He nodded and sat down, throwing the towel across a chair, and I went ot check his bare back. There was some nasty looking cuts there. I covered it with the white goo stuff that was antibacterial, relieved that I couldn't accidentally infect him or something, and covered them up with large squares and tape.

"How bad?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"They'll heal. Might not want to go to the gym for a few weeks though."

Lucas nodded and I sat down as he worked on the hands. It wasn't really important, most of it, it'd heal fast. But he got a few of the deeper ones and then we stuck the burn cream on our ankles and feet.

We sat there, staring out the window at the city, Lucas opening a beer and I took one of the pizza boxes. I felt stunned, numb, and kind of surprised that we'd gotten out of there at all.

"Can't believe we got out of that." I told him, as I took a piece of the pizza out, shaking my head slowly. Now the fear was there. It wasn't going to be shut away much longer.

"I know." He breathed out, slowly, leaning back. The beer sat untouched in Lucas hand. "Couldn't have done that without you."

"Or _you_." I added. It was true. I knew he'd used something to hold that table up a bit longer, even if it didn't work well, and whatever he'd done to the concrete had made it easier to smash through. Without him there, however weak he apparently was, there would have been an unhappy table folding around us much faster than it had.

We went quiet again. I wished I could call Reece, wished I could phone him and find out what was going on, but I knew that wasn't possible. Lucas' father would have to let us know.

I felt exhausted suddenly, not hungry at all, and made myself eat that once piece as the sun burnt down on the city. Nick's birthday was just over a week. Maybe I'd go back and surprise him. I couldn't think that he was dead, I couldn't let myself assume that, because it would trigger an instinct that would endanger Lucas and ...it was just a really bad idea.

After a while Lucas got up and headed for one of the bedrooms. I heard him shut the door quietly and sat there, staring at the city, wondering if I knew it or not. Exhaustion came, drifting around me like a tide, and I stood up and pushed the still untouched boxes into the fridge next to the beer. Lucas hadn't touched his opened bottle.

I lay in bed, exhausted, but unable to sleep. The bracelet winked and flashed in my fingers, as I played with it, and I shut my eyes as I saw that car explode. Again. It was as bad as watching the twins get taken away.

If he thought I was dead, they'd never get taken away again. _Never_. If he wanted to know them, it'd be with me there, and nothing less would be acceptable.

Funnily enough though, I felt mostly numb. Shocked. I wasn't hungry, I was tired but I couldn't sleep, and while images that should have been distressing kept flashing through my head, I felt nothing as I saw them. My determination to help Elena was so unemotional, so 'logical', that I slid up to make sure the door had a lock. Just in case I stopped being logical all of a sudden.

The rest of the day, neither of us spoke, we came out of the bedroom occasionally, speaking soft even tones, like both of us were shell shocked and still unable to believe what we'd just come out of. Not even a broken bone. Lucas' ankle swelled up big time though, where he'd twisted it, and my hands ached whenever I tried to use them. Dinner was brought by Benicio himself, and we sat there quietly, eating, as he talked at us. I didn't really hear much of what he said till he told us that we were now officially seen as 'missing, probably dead'.

"Paige?"

"Is at Stonehaven with Savannah." He glanced at me. "There was a pair of attacks on Stonehaven."

_That_ got my attention. I slid up a bit straighter. "What?"

"No one got hurt. Several sorcerers and witches tried to capture the children in Stonehaven, not expecting Savannah or the half demon to be waiting. Logan and Matthew were at Forestwatch at the same time. An attempt was made to grab Logan in the forest. Your nephew, Matthew, chased them down as a wolf as they dragged him off and tore their ankle apart. He guarded them till help arrived." His lip twitched. "Clever little kid tore their hamstring on purpose."

"He is. He was learning about the body at school. Guess he remembered something." I tried to smile. He'd probably assumed they were human, or close to it, and he knew the rule about not killing humans. Next best thing was to disable them. So someone did get hurt- just not anyone that mattered. That was nice. "Who attacked them?"

"We're not sure yet." He didn't offer any more information. I suspected he wasn't going to.

I knew I should have asked about the cars that exploded, I should have asked about if someone was in them, but I didn't. Something held me back.

"Are your changes going to be a problem?" Benicio asked, as the meal ended, turning his calm focus back onto me. Or maybe it'd never left me. "I'm aware they have been before."

I didn't ask how he knew that. "There's a lock on the door. Usually I am fully aware but if it happens, I'll keep the door locked, and only come out when it's done. I wouldn't harm Lucas."

Not knowingly.

He seemed to be thinking the same thing but he nodded slowly.

"Tony is in the apartment next door. If she does cause a problem..."

"I know." Lucas had gone a little stiffer. He smiled tensely. "I'll head next door. It should be fine."

I didn't ask about the cars and they didn't volunteer information beyond 'explosives'. That they were handling it. When we put on TV that night, the news was screaming about terrorist attacks in our backyard, no facts, the attack far too public for the Cabal or anyone to cover up. But they didn't know for sure what had made the cars explode, the newsreader admitted, before going on to describe how to be extra vigilant and what the number was if someone saw suspicious activity. No word on bodies or deaths. But they said something about missing people. That was probably us.

It was that night when I finally felt it, the full shock of what we'd been through. Dreams chased me, of fire, of being trapped, of being so hopelessly trapped under rubble that no one would ever find us, of flames burning their way to us, and explosions, and Jeremy's voice somewhere distant and beyond the rubble. Nick's voice. Clayton's voice, calling for Elena. It felt like a memory, felt so vivid and real that I woke up, kicking and trying to get the 'rubble' off us the second the table gave, pillows flying and a bedside table knocked over. I had already started to change.

It was too late to warn Lucas.

The door had been locked before bed but I whined and moaned in pain, in the sheets, twisting, till the change was done and I was tangled up in sheet, head half under the pillows, scrambling off the soft surface as fast as my paws could get me off it. Then I paced up and down, pressing my nose to the window crack, breathing in and out as deep as I could, trying to reassure myself that I was not trapped. I was safe. There was no fire coming to burn us. The urge to run, to snap, to growl, to do all kinds of things I couldn't do battled with the will to stay quiet and to breathe. Focusing on Nick as a calming point did not work. It made it worse, the fear for my mate's life rising up as if it were a snake, and it was Elena that managed to get me to calm down. Elena. My alpha. I had to stay calm in order to protect her and find her.

The change only lasted as long as I was anxious. When it was over, when the panic subsided, I changed back, dressed again, and crawled into bed as the last aches and pain faded from my body. I tried to go back to sleep.

It took a long time to go to sleep again though. I was so tired that I couldn't get to sleep- I lay there and it was only when the first rays of morning came did I really fall asleep, curling up, keeping all pillows and sheets away. They felt too much like being trapped.

Jeremy was there, when I fell asleep, waiting. He was confused. I wasn't confused.

"This isn't a lucid dream, is it?"

It was a dream, it was strange, things were happening around us. I saw it was the space under the table again. But instead of Lucas, it was Jeremy, and he was sitting there as he stared at me.

"You're alive?"

The image swum, a moment, and then he came back, his face stronger in my vision, the blurriness fading. Grief. He was upset.

"Is this really you?" I asked, reaching out, but it wasn't Jeremy when I touched him. It was Lucas. The world shook, something toppled past the table, flames coming back. More flames.

"Jamie said she couldn't locate you."

Jamie. She spoke to the dead. I guessed that meant she hadn't lost her gift after the disease. I shook my head. "We have to play dead."

"_Why_?"

"Because then he breaks the contract and he's in debt to me. Where's Nick? Clayton?"

"I don't know." Grief returned, fear, I saw it swim across Jeremy's face so plainly that it surprised me. Unless it was my emotions and I was pushing them into the dream. I didn't know. "Where are you?"

That age old question. "I'll come home. I'm sorry. I had to ..."

The flames were close now, flickering, reflecting on our faces. Jeremy only then seemed to notice where we were and what was happening. He stared at the sight.

"You have to stay quiet, Jeremy. If you're really talking to me. You have to keep quiet till we're back."

"We're..." His head snapped back to me, understanding suddenly dawning in his face. "Lucas is alive? Is Elena with you?"

"Yes but you have to keep it secret." Flames licked at our feet, at the edge of the table, the smell of burning as the table started to crack and snap. Jeremy stared back at it. "They took her. I think. I don't know. Find _Elena_, Jeremy, don't look for me. Find out where they took her."

"She's alive?"

The table gave way and my eyes flew open, the dream slamming away, as I heard a key in my door. I snatched up the sheets and wrapped them around me as the door was unlocked, yawning, trying to hang onto the dream. Was it a real dream? I didn't know. It was already fading from my head.

"How'd you sleep?" He asked, sitting there. Lucas looked like he hadn't slept at all.

"I changed. Sorry. I didn't ...have time." I realised he'd probably have guessed that, there was torn clothing, scratch marks on the window, and the smell of dog all over the bed. "But I was in control. How did you sleep?"

"It's okay." He smiled weakly. "Badly."

"Me too." I yawned again, shaking my head, and slid up out of bed. "Do we have coffee?"

We stumbled around the apartment all day, like zombies, unable to know what to do or say to each other. Coffee became a favourite. Coffee and movies.

More nightmares that night, only this time it was of watching the car explode, seeing Nick and Clayton inside. Over and over. On fire. I ended up giving up on sleep and went to sit in the living room, exhausted still, sitting there as I watched early morning TV. Lucas joined me after half an hour.

"Nightmares about the car?" He asked, softly, as I turned it up so his hearing could pick it up.

"Did I wake you?"

"I was already awake."

I leaned back and shut my eyes. Second I did, there thye were again, burning. "Lots of nightmares."

"My father had them taken. The humans won't find supernatural bodies." He said it so casually, so calmly, that it suddenly occurred to me that maybe he didn't know. Didn't know that one of the cars belonged to us.

"The one across the street..."

"Yeah?"

"It was Clayton's car." The words, once I'd said it, couldn't be taken back. Suddnely the reality of what might have happened struck me.

Lucas stared at me for a long time. Then he got up, quiet, and retrieved two o the untouched beers from the fridge. When he offered me one I didn't resist it. "You sure?"

Immediately I saw it, seconds before the explosion, the back door still with a seatbelt hanging out the door. I'd dropped it there by accident while I was trying to get the twins out and was too upset to care about it after. I nodded, drinking as much of the alcohol as I dared, and Lucas didn't answer. "The car had a seat belt hanging out the back door. It was their car."

Lucas sat there a long time. It wasn't for well over an hour before he seemed to remember something. "My father has the cars."

"Yeah."

He stood up, slowly, putting his half drunk beer down. "I'll go tell him. Ask."

Ask if there were bodies in Clayton's car, in other words. Lucas left the apartment for a while, I knew he'd gone to the one with the body guard, and I sat there watching the stars move slowly across the city, drinking the beer, the numbness back.

When he came back, he wasn't any more relaxed than when he'd left, and I didn't want to look at him.

"There was no one in the car across the street." He said, and I felt my chest cave in, air released, relief flooding through me. My eyes shut as I felt a hand come to touch my shoulder, tentative, cautious. "There were two bodies in the fire."

Two bodies in the fire.

It took a second for me to connect this statement to the previous one. My body connected it faster than my mind, heart suddenly thumping hard against my ribcage, head swinging up to meet his face long before my brain got it.

"Two..."

"No one can identify them yet. We don't know a thing." Lucas added, his hand tightening.

They would have rushed in. The car exploded, Elena was in trouble, they would have rushed in for us. No one expected the other one explosion. No one would have known to be concerned. I bent over, eyes shut, sweating, the reality of what he'd said crashing down on me. Maybe I'd known they weren't in the car but …

"Get out for a while."

"How long?"

"A few hours." I didn't know if I'd change or not. But he let go of my shoulder and backed out, shutting the door quietly behind him, as I bent there, fear screaming in my head. They would have come for us. Of course they would have. I hadn't thought about it, I couldn't bear to, but now the reality was slapped there for me to see.

Jeremy said that they were missing. Missing. Two bodies in the fire.

I threw up, acid burning, my skin crawling even as it started, I shrugged off the clothing as best I could. The fear drove the change to go fast, pain ripping through limbs, till I collapsed on the floor and lay there, eyes shut, paws scraping on the floorboards. Nick. Body in the fire. Of course he'd come after me if there was danger. I would have done the same thing. Run straight inside for him.

I crawled into the bedroom, curling up around the clothing I'd worn the night before, the faint smell of Nick still on the dress if I breathed it in hard enough. It was morning now, I noticed, at some point the sun had risen.

Somehow though, the panic wasn't there, not totally. I was in control. I lay there, breathing hard, eyes shut, body curled up so my tail tickled my nose. Some part of me couldn't accept they'd been in there. I wasn't sure why. Maybe I felt ...I didn't know. Of course, _of course_ they'd go inside, but somehow I _couldn't_ accept it.

After a while, I had to change back, I heard Lucas knocking. It must have been hours. It felt like minutes, that I'd been lying there, just a few minutes. The change didn't work as well this time, it was slow, a torment, my body pleading with me to stay wolf. When it was over I picked up the dress and slid it into my bed, curling up against it, eyes shutting as I found the bracelet and played with it again. Silly expensive thing but it linked me to Nick. I didn't care if he spent millions on the stupid thing. It was from _him_.

Lucas knocked again after half an hour.

"I'm okay. Come in." I stood up and dressed quickly, the door shut as I heard him come in, the scent of more food. Food. Breakfast.

"It might not be them. There were a number of people seen to go up to the fire." He called, softly, plates set onto the table.

He was right, of course, that kind of incident usually had more people rushing in. I went outside and watched him serve out Chinese food.

"Probably that's it."

"Clayton and Nick are missing." He added, carefully, eyes fixed in mine. "But if they saw Elena taken..."

"I know. They would have followed." I breathed out, slowly, trying to relax. Clayton wouldn't have rushed in for me if Elena was being taken out against her will and Nick did what he was told. Usually.

"We're more or less seen as dead now." Lucas said quietly as we ate. "Officially."

"It's not long now." I tried to reassure him, vaguely it was as much for him as it was for me. Lucas nodded a fraction. "You sure about this?"

"Yes." His dark eyes met mine, he nodded, and there was no trace of indecision there. "As you said. We're already two days in."

'"At any time, you can change your mind for her."

"Paige is strong." But his face twisted, I knew he hated doing this to her, hated to pretend as much as I did. "Savannah is with her as is my father. They are coping."

It suddenly struck me how Matt would take it. Out of everyone, it would be the worst for him, the absolute worst. I tried to focus on how long we had left instead of how it'd hurt him. I also guessed by 'coping', they weren't throwing themselves off cliffs, because no one could ever call grief 'coping'.

That was what we tried to do. 'Cope'. Neither of us were enjoying this time here, knowing how fucking wrong it was to fake our death like this, but we hung on with grim determination to get through it. Demetruis was apparently still being protected by his powerful mother, which was interesting, and they needed more to get him. More to act. It was the powerful over the weak all over again- he was powerful, so he was good at being untouchable.

I thought it was just fucking stupid. Power shouldn't have meant someone was immune from it. But he was the heir to one of the 'four great families', whatever the hell that meant, and throwing him away required more. The spell on my head? They'd pinned it to a sidekick. He hadn't actually cast the spell, apparently, he'd just used it. A third party had done it from somewhere else the second time and they had no way of knowing who did it the first time. That third party, some guy who worked for him, had turned himself in.

As for forcing me to be pregnant, there was no evidence that it wasn't a willing 'encounter', no matter what my memory was. He was covering his tracks and dusting them after.

Attacking Elena, if he had, that was going to be a different matter. I didn't ask why. I guessed it was because she was important, a leader, a member of the interracial council... and a friend of Lucas. All reasons for the apparently powerful Benicio Cortez to take a more personal interest in this.

Neither of us slept well either, as the days drifted on, and we usually ended up sitting in the living room at three in the morning talking instead. It was while there that I remembered the curious thing Demetruis had said about hypnosis. Lucas was pretty smart and knew the world beyond the werewolf world.

"Lucas, there was one thing he said which I didn't get. When we were making the deal about the twins."

Lucas glanced up from the paper. "What?"

"He was seriously worried that I'd hypnotise them to hate him."

His shoulders tensed as he folded the paper up quietly. "You can do that?"

I nodded. "I've been learning for a few years part time, I was doing it before I was bitten, so yeah. Is it ...bad?"

Lucas came to sit at the table beside me then, dropping the paper, his voice lowering. "It's not a trusted skill. People also don't usually have the ability to learn it, in this world, but if you learnt it beforehand you might have bypassed that problem. But you might want to keep it quiet."

I glanced at him, no scorn, no 'hypnosis is a scam' like most humans would assume, he was as serious as Demetruis had been. "How well does it work on supernatural minds?"

"I can't tell you. I don't know. But i the sorcerer world, it's an unwritten rule that no one learns it. Amongst witches, they view it with the same suspicion as black magic, though no one discusses it." Lucas explained. "It may be that it's mostly superstition, that hypnosis is _so_ powerful, but I have heard that it can make people do things they don't want to do."

"That doesn't happen. At least not with humans. You can't make a person do things they don't want to do." I paused, then, adding, "But I don't know. I only tried it on a few mutts to get answers."

"How well did it work?"

"_Really_ well. I was surprised." They'd told me everything without hesitation.

He nodded a fraction. After a while Lucas spoke again. "We use areas of our brain that humans don't. It may be that it is more effective on us because of that. In theory, even a human could be dangerous, so it isn't a spell. You might want to keep that quiet, that you can do it, it will change the way supernaturals trust you."

I was barely believing what I heard but I'd never thought about it. I knew it worked, I did it, but I never thought about how it'd work in the brain. Or how a human's mind was different from that of someone who was a sorcerer, or a witch, or any other gift that existed.

"My father uses several interrogation experts who use it to get answers." Lucas said after a while. "It's a good skill if it's used right."

"I wouldn't use it to hurt people." Never. The idea sickened me. People had the right to freewill, I'd never push it onto people otherwise. "I had no clue it was so … I was just studying it to do something while I was raising toddlers." I tried to laugh. "Finish it and then work."

"Then don't worry about it. Just hang onto that thought." Lucas unfolded his newspaper slowly.  
>"And don't tell any witches or sorcerers. Or anyone. It's better to keep it quiet. I believe you. But others might be too used to being afraid of it to get to know you."<p>

It did worry me a little, suddenly, this realisation that I could do something to people's minds. That it was on the level of black magic, and while I didn't know much about magic, I knew 'black magic' was seen as _bad_. Paige ran a coven of white witches. And that it made people afraid of me? Crazy. But it was another way, I tried to reason, to defend myself and my pack. I sighed and put that new knowledge away for now.

A sudden sense of panic and fear and grief nearly knocked me off the chair, literally, and Lucas looked up fast, tensing.

"What is it?"

"I don't know." I didn't know where it'd come from. But suddenly, suddenly I was really afraid that I had lost Nick. Was that what it was? "I need to lie down. I'm suddenly really … I don't know."

"I'll put breakfast in the fridge if you're not here."

I shut the door on him, locked it, and sank down, shaking, my legs giving way. It was like a dam had broken inside me, every last suppressed emotion shaking me, the image of raising the toddlers without their father. Or the twins never knowing the man that'd happily claimed them. Happily, maybe not the right word, but he accepted it as apart of his life more easily than I might have if he'd come home with a baby that wasn't mine.

What if he wasn't around? Lillian, she just got him back, and Antonio...

That really brought it home. Antonio loosing his son. I shuddered, my entire body shaking, but I was beyond even changing now. Nick wasn't strong, wasn't cured, I should have insisted that he stay at Stonehaven. He hadn't needed to be there. I'd just let him come because I thought it'd go smoothly, I thought he'd sit there and be able to glare all he liked at Demetruis, then we'd go home.

If they'd found Nick and Clayton, they would have told me. Jeremy or Lucas. Jeremy came the night before, just briefly, as if he couldn't quite believe I was there. Lucas hadn't said a word about the bodies.

Even now though, I didn't cry, somehow ...it was too big. I sat there, staring at the carpet, my body shaking, the panic and grief and loss built up in my chest but not making it up into my head. He'd already bought them, the triplets, backpacks for their first day of school. I saw them in the basement. And he'd bought them birthday presents already. We'd agreed to re-paint their nursery when they turned three. Give them 'big kid beds' from Ikea. And I had to give him my valentine's day present. Kama Sutra. I'd bought it months and months ago... after we'd lost his copy in the pool one night.

If Nick was dead … I whined, softly, burying my head under my arms. The thought of it, just the thought, made my brain scream for ...sleep, morphine, alcohol, anything. Anything to escape. And I hadn't seen him yet.

Deep down I knew something had gone wrong. I knew. I couldn't hide from it. My heart was already breaking and I didn't know why yet.


	14. Home

Twenty three hours to go.

I stared at the clock and knew exactly how long without having to count.

The sense of 'something was wrong' did not leave me but increased as I tried to relax. Nothing, not in the days before, had provoked such a feeling. It had to have happened last night. I didn't know what it was, I didn't know why I felt it, but I knew it had to do with Nick. I knew the same way I knew I had twenty two hours and fifty eight minutes to go.

Lucas said nothing about it. Nothing unusual. I tried to shut my eyes and relax, even will Jeremy back, though he hadn't been back ever since. Maybe he thought he'd dreamt it. Maybe _I'd_ dreamt it.

But something else was strange. I didn't know how to explain it. I felt odd. Physically strange, sick, even dizzy. It'd gotten worse over the last few hours and by the time night had come I was relieved to get into bed for a change. It was connected to the 'something's wrong' feeling. I didn't know what it was and Lucas didn't seem to have it.

The past few nights I'd had dreams of the toddlers and twins. I was so glad to see the toddlers that I didn't care if it was a nightmare- all I wanted to see was their faces right now, hold them, snuggle them, watch them as they happily did big kid potty stuff. See the twins, so new, so scrunched up still, eyes foggy and struggling to see the world just yet.

Five children. Fuck. I had liked the idea of two. Three, maybe. But five? I could cope. I had enough money from the inheritance to be okay for a while yet till I could start to work. I wasn't going to let Nick spend a cent on the twins. Not a cent.

It was thinking like this that made it easier. Thinking as if he was alive. Because he had to be. Clayton wouldn't run into a burning building, would he? He would know that was stupid. I hoped he did, anyway.

I did fall asleep though and, like I had for the past few days, dreamt of the burning, of cars, of toddlers waiting. Twins yawning and staring in the direction of sounds. No Jeremy. I woke every few hours, twisting around restlessly, and tried to go back. The bracelet stayed clutched hard in my hand. I'd wake, panic, and stare at it. Or clutch to that damn dress Nick liked, the scent fading far too fast from it now, as if that was my last lifeline. Check the time, count the hours we had to go before I could officially race back to Stonehaven, and go 'Hey guys, sorry, actually I'm really alive and when can we go kick their bums?' I felt sick every time, like I wanted to vomit, but that usually went away if I went back to bed.

Early that morning I heard voices and got up, dressing, coming out as Benicio Cortez glanced up to me. He and Lucas went quiet, and I felt like I might have interrupted something, so I paused.

"Sorry."

"We were just talking about sorcerer business. Come and join us." Lucas slid a chair out for me. I yawned, glanced at the clock, seeing it was our usual 'meet' time anyway. "It probably wouldn't be interesting to you."

I should have said something like 'Go ahead, I love it!' but truthfully, it wasn't interesting. I'd had it up to here with that bullshit. Magic seemed like cheating to me, where as running, hunting, fists, they felt _natural_. Normal. Straight to the point.

So I made a sound I hoped could be translated into a grunt of 'Oh no, please, I love hearing about magic' and went to sit down near them at the table.

"I'll put the coffee on."

Truthfully... this magic stuff was starting to bug me, the more Demetruis fucked with us like he was, wrapping us up in distractions and problems and injuries while he barely lifted a finger. Disease? What disease? Somehow the whole supernatural world had been crippled by him and yet we were distracted by babies and explosions.

"He's distracting us from the bigger problem." I muttered.

Lucas' head swung up then. "Who?"

"Demetruis. How many people are sick or were sick?" I tried to shake off the last week's twisting 'they're dead, and I missed my puppies, and I missed my pack' as well as the 'holy shit, we'd escaped a collapsing burning building' shock and all the other stuff that had more or less crowded over it.

It was Benicio who answered, not Lucas. He came back, sat down with a coffee, and his answer was shocking even to me,"In North America, ninety percent of the supernatural population. Seventy six percent of those are now weakened or have lost their race's gifts completely."

"Ninety perfect?"

"Give or take a few percent. Yes. It's lower, as the witches themselves still continue to be immune to it."

"Did you get sick?" I realised, suddenly, how rude it was to ask him that and flushed as he fixed me with an amused look. "Sorry. I'm just... it's so many."

"I did not get sick." Benicio replied, still a little amused, clearly not used to people asking him direct questions like that. Of course he didn't. He'd been the one to cover our asses when we'd been trying to get out of the building. "I believe every member of your pack contracted the disease though."

He was right, and yet still I couldn't quite believe it, that so many had gotten sick.

"And now the mutts are buying this cure off him? As well as a group of ..."

"Idiots." Lucas muttered. "It's not really a cure."

"What is it?" My head swung to Lucas at that, shocked, and he glanced at his father before to me.

"It's a treatment that temporarily suppresses the disease's effects. They regain themselves for around a week before needing to take it again. Your treatment was the only one that has worked for so long." He replied, softly. "But it may not work forever."

No one had told me this. I wondered if Elena knew. She might have known but had been so distracted by what she had been told to do … "So why would he distract us?"

"Pawns." Benicio yawned, drinking his hot coffee, as he read something on his laptop. "

" In chess, the pawns are used to distract while the real pieces get into position. Sacrifices are made. I'm not entirely sure he was serious about his offer to Elena." Lucas replied. "The blame for the diseases is on the Cabel. They didn't create it, but the general belief is that they did, and so everyone blames them. He has the cure and there's a lot of affected people trying to get back to normal. Elena's a distraction."

"But he took her?" I assumed he had.

"Capturing the Queen. Okay. Maybe I like chess too much. But he's got a key player now."

I realised he was probably right. Maybe that had been the real goal. He had heirs now, I didn't see why he'd care so much for more, but he had an advantage in having Elena.

"It's extremely beneficial to us for you to have control over him." Benicio added.

In other words, it suited them, and I tried to ignore that. It was beneficial for _me_ too. "Do you know what he offered her?"

"We know." Benicio replied, glancing up. "In exchange for womb rental. You had twins from a similar deal."

I flushed, trying to ignore the shame that came with that look I'd been given, as if I was being judged for that. "It was apparently already happening before I made it. They were already there."

"Yes. I know." Benicio's eyes went back to the laptop.

"No one thinks you made the wrong choice." Lucas added, maybe catching the look in my face.

Except me, I thought dully, I did. But I was getting distracted again. We all were. Was he going to try and distract Elena? I didn't know. I didn't know if he'd force her, or if he'd just treat her like a guest, or if he'd …blame a guard.

"Has he offered anything for Elena?"

"Nothing. He's been quiet. Hasn't even contacted his mother." Benicio answered. "Unusual for him. Your twins are with her, cared for by a nanny, and are safe."

So they weren't even _with_ him? Maybe he really didn't give a damn about heirs. I didn't know.

I muttered something about coffee and went into the kitchen to make it. So I knew he was distracting us, doing a good job of it, and that he had Elena. And while we were distracted he'd vanished off the face of the earth again and we still didn't know if he was connected to that resistance group or not.

And he was using magic to screw with us. I loathed magic suddenly. Damn stuff wasn't at all like Harry Potter. Or maybe it was? The light ball thing had been kind of cool. I shook my head, trying to stay focused, as the machine did the coffee thing in front of me.

There was the attack on Stonehaven, which I'd worried less about as apparently we'd come out the better side, and that might have been about the kids. They'd tried to cart Logan away. At the same time we'd been buried under a building they'd tried to snatch kids.

"Do you think the two attacks were planned?" I asked as I came back. "If he's working with that resistance group..."

"The man your nephew captured for us was convinced he'd never met Demetruis." Benicio replied. He glanced at his son, then to me. "His mind had been altered a little though."

"Altered?"

"Hypnosis." Lucas explained softly.

There it was again. That harmless thing I'd learnt, or I thought it was harmless, because I thought how _cool_ it'd be to do past life stuff on people, paint, and ...I didn't know. I'd been less interested in a career back then and more interested in just studying. Suddenly it wasn't harmless and to them it was serious.

"Ah." I sat back down. "So you just have to unalter it?"

"Apparently it's not that easy." Lucas replied. "But something like that."

I glanced at the clock, counting the hours to go till we'd broken the contract, and then down at the coffee in my hands. So close.

"How are they doing?" I asked, finally. Surely Benicio knew that much.

"They are coping." Benicio replied. "Funeral planning."

"Nick and Clay?" Before I could stop myself, the words flew out, head flying up, and he shook his head.

"Your funerals."

Oh, _fuck_. That made it real for me. They thought we were so dead that they were planning our funerals. Lucas looked just as sickened by the word as I did.

"Nick and Clayton flew back yesterday." Benicio added.

I nearly fell out of my chair, relief flooding thorough the strange 'fuzzy' feeling. "They're alive?"

"They were tracking Elena. They lost her trail soon after they got the news about the two of you." He said it so calmly, so plainly, as if it wasn't a big deal. But it was a big deal. It was a huge deal. They were _alive_. Benicio's focus had not left the laptop but he added, "They have not left the house since returning."

Oh god. Poor Nick. Coming back to funeral planning. I wanted to call him. How many hours till I could call him? Sixteen. It was just after six in the morning. That sickness returned full force now, that 'there's something seriously fucking wrong' sense right there with it.

"You okay?" Lucas asked softly.

I nodded and glanced up at him. He was probably counting the hours too. "Just looking forward to calling them tonight."

"There's a plane ready. We'll leave after ten tonight and will be back around one in the morning." Benicio glanced from myself to Lucas. "I would recommend you put off the call."

"Just show up? Shock them?"

"Maybe give them a call half an hour before." Lucas nodded slowly. "The three or so hours it'd take would torture them."

He was right, of course, and I felt my body deflate a little as I agreed. Bugger. I had to wait a bit longer to call him.

After a while I retreated back to my room, coffee in hand, and crawled back into the bed with it. The dress could be covered in new scents tonight. I'd get home, I'd rub it all over Nick, and then ...I didn't know. He just had to get through another day. Maybe this was why I felt so sick, so tired, so dizzy. I wasn't pregnant again.

Fuck. I _hoped_ I wasn't pregnant again. But I rejected that thought. Probably not. These symptoms weren't _just_ connected to that. I had to stop assuming it. Or get my tubes tied. That might not have been such a bad idea either.

Somehow I slept, the hours drifting by, even after drinking the coffee.

The sheer scale of the sick in our world staggered me as the day went on. So _many_ sick. And so many of them now powerless. So many blaming the Cabel for the disease, even if they'd been one of the hardest hit, and if the resistance offered the 'treatment' for their members, how many would want to go to their side? Savannah had said there were hundreds and that was several years ago now.

I realised that what I'd seen in our factory, the large amount of sorcerers and half-demons the Cabel were treating, they had just been a fraction of what they were probably dealing with. Maybe they were high ranking or something. I didn't know.

The hours dragged on. Lucas and I didn't ask about what was happening at Stonehaven now, when Benicio came in with lunch, the news that our funerals were being planned was pretty heavy and showed that what we'd done had worked. Probably with a little help from Benicio.

"I'm not going to call Paige." Lucas said quietly, as we ate the nachos.

"Just going to show up?"

"It'll be after midnight. Most of the house will be asleep. She can have me for a few hours before the news explodes."

I saw his logic there and nodded, slowly, dipping a corn chip in the sour cream, finding myself agreeing with him. We'd wake the entire house up with the news. Kids would be up, toddlers awake, chaos for the next few days till the kids and toddlers got enough sleep again... "Yeah. You're right."

"The funeral is later this afternoon. I'll be flying out ahead of you both." Benicio said, softly, eyes going to Lucas.

That made us both flinch. Lucas caught my eyes, I saw it in his face, that no matter how good an idea it was, it was getting a bit too ...real.

"I'm guessing Troy is taking us to the airport."

Benicio nodded. I might have been amused to see him another time, this man who was all business and authority, in a tailored suit... sitting there eating nachos... but the weight of our deception was getting a bit too much. A funeral. _Shit_. That explained why he was wearing so much black.

"We'll take care of reversing the legal problems." He added.

We'd take care of the rest then. The questions, the hurt, all of it. I didn't feel hungry now. I just wanted to get going. Less than ten hours to go. We were getting there.

When he was gone, we relocated to the couch, sitting there, neither of us speaking for a long time. I dreaded it. Going back there right now. This had seemed like a _great idea_ before. Now I felt like an idiot for thinking it up. There were other ways to get him.

It was too late to do much more than sit there now, numb, watching the movies come on and off the pay TV, neither of us even watching them, we sat there, waited, eyes going to the clock so often that Lucas eventually got up and threw it out the window. The action, so impulsive, frustration in his face, it shocked me. He was such a calm person usually.

"Thanks." I muttered when he flopped back down.

Lucas glanced at me. "For?"

"Saving me the trouble of throwing it away." I glanced after the clock, arms crossing across my chest.

He smiled a tense smile and we went back to waiting.

It didn't help. Not seeing the time maybe screwed with us worse now, even if the movies were giving us a sense of time, and I ended up pacing, eating the leftover stuff in the fridge, making us coffee, anxiety and guilt weighing down the air. Lucas started to copy me. We didn't know what else to do except pace, eat, and wait.

I tried to apologise for this and he cut me off.

"I could have gone at any time. No. You made your decision and I made mine. We've just got to accept it now." Lucas shook his head. He stared at the coffee, the fifth since lunch, and poured it down the sink. "This is not going to help us relax."

He was probably right. I sighed, tipped mine down the sink, and tried to think.

"How much hatred is there towards the Cabal right now?"

"Because of the disease?" Lucas' face twisted with something else. "A lot. The free treatment we offered, to get through the fever, there's rumors spread that it's guilt. Or that we're going to sell a cure. Or we're trying to take away everyone's power so we can take over competely."

"Guess that's not surprising." I explained, when he blinked, "I mean, the mutts probably think we did it. The pack. They like to blame the most obvious."

"It makes them feel better."

"What races loose their powers?"

Lucas sat down at the little kitchen table after filling a glass with water and sipped it slowly. "Vampires are weakened badly but they're still more or less able to cope. Sorcerers aren't constant- some are fine after, some are like me and limited, and most are completely powerless. Half-demons have the same reaction, some are fine, some aren't. It affects all werewolves, shamans, necromancers, druids and clairvoyants the same. Witches are immune."

"They didn't blame witches?" I joined him once I had water. "If they're not getting sick?"

"They might have a few years ago." Lucas shrugged a little. "But there's been some tenseness towards the Cabel for several years now, rumours started, some dirty laundry exposed, and the resistance group have been fuelling a lot of mistrust. Witches have always been disliked by sorcerers so they're ignored."

I didn't know that, that witches and sorcerers disliked each other, especially as Lucas and Paige were married. It was a bit shocking to find out. I didn't ask about how they'd taken that pairing. With our 'funerals' currently happening right now it was a bad idea.

I tried to make us dinner from what was left in the fridge and we waited, baited breath, as the last few hours ticked by. The tension in the room rose. If Demetruis found me now, if he knew I was alive, this was all for nothing.

The clock on the TV ticked, slowly, as we watched. Waited. We tried to distract ourselves with packing but when we had such a tiny amount to pack that took up two minutes. I fingered the bracelet, tried to wait, and watched. Two minutes. One.

Thirty seconds past ten, a minute after I'd made the agremeent more or less, I felt it. It was the most bizarre sensation of shackles being broken. I bent over, panting, squeezing my eyes shut, the pain of it almost ...almost... enough to trigger a change right then and there. Lucas's hand found my shoulder. It hurt. This 'breaking contract' thing, even if it wasn't me doing it, it _hurt_.

"It'll only last a minute." He tried to reassure me. "It'll be worse for him."

He was right. After a minute it was over and I felt the nature of the 'shackles' change. Instead of feeling myself bound up to something, I felt like I was connected to something bound, this sense of 'leashing' … like I'd caught him.

"Did I leash him magically?"

"The contract has." He replied, a tense smile. "So to speak. It feels different for everyone. Suppose because you're a wolf, it's leashes."

I could feel Demetruis, suddenly, I had this sense of him somewhere. It didn't get more than that but it was enough.

"Does he know I'm alive now?"

"No. It'd feel the same dead or alive. There's documented cases of it driving some people crazy- feeling their loved one somewhere, when they've died, people believing they're still here. He'll just assume you're dead.." He shook his head. "That magic isn't good. Black magic, for witches, that thing. Just breathe. Whatever you sense, he doesn't, it's only a one way connection now." There was a knock on the door and Lucas opened it.

"Time to go?" I stood up and Lucas nodded.

The big body guard led us to the car and we headed to the airport. I found that if if I didn't concentrate on Demetruis, then the awareness of him faded, but if I tried to, I would sense him. It was like gathering up strings, pulling on them, feeling something on the other side. Always. It was strange. I wondered how much I'd tell if I really concentrated hard on him.

Tonight I couldn't. My concentration was shot, stressed, anxious to get back, and I knew that I'd had too little sleep to really focus on anything. I let it go, the 'strings', and whatever the hell he was doing, I lost sense of it.

"It's really ...broken?" I asked as we slid into seats in the plane.

"Yes. Even I can tell." Lucas nodded.

I slumped, sighed out, and shut my eyes. Now we just had to get the twins back.

"My father intends on getting them tomorrow from the mother's house." Lucas said, softly, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. "We'll deal with the fallout tonight."

Another long torturous drag of time, another hour pacing up and down on the plane, before we were in the car and speeding towards Stonehaven. Speeding was the perfect word. Lucas told the body guard, Tony, or Troy or something, to go fast and he _did_ go fast. I hung onto the seat, wondering if we'd die after all in a big fiery crash, but honestly... I was relieved that we _were_ speeding. Sooner we got back the better.

The car slowed as we reached Stonehaven and we drove slowly, the forest crowding in as if it was welcoming us back, fireflies dancing around the car. The warmth of the sun was still in the ground when I hopped out, showing how hot it'd been, the smell and sound of the forest crashing into my head as the car was turned off, relief and anxiety building up together. Now. Where would Nick be? Would he be here? At Forestwatch?

Lucas leaned closer to me, soft. "Can you help me find Paige? I know you're desperetate but... you have good hearing."

After all he'd done to help me, of course I was going to help him. I grasped his arm, ignoring my instints for the moment, and listened for Paige. Smelt her trail, going up the stairs, leading him, and led him of one of the spare bedrooms. Paige was inside, breathing slow, the smell of salt and dampness in the room. Tears. _Fuck_. Savannah was there too.

"Thanks." He squeezed my arm and slipped inside, shutting the door, a soft light coming on. Maybe another light ball thing. I didn't know and I was too distracted to care.

I made my way down the hall, trying to smell Nick, struggling. There were no real traces of him, older scent trails from earlier in the day, nothing recent. I almost missed the fist as it flew at my head, almost, but ducked down as I saw a flash of pale skin in the darkness and heard it sink into the wall behind my head.

Clayton attacked, growling, fists flying, some of them making painful contact.

"It's me."

That did not make him any happier. He continued to hit me, trying to grab at me. He smelt ...like sedative. I backed up, trying to whisper for him to be quiet, ducking fists sometimes, blocking them with arms the rest of the time, protecting the bracelet as I did. I didn't realise I was at the staircase till I felt the floor vanish, tipped back, and started to fall.

The fists, which had been coming at me, instead grabbed at my clothing and yanked me hard back onto the landing, Clayton's arms grabbing at me and yanking me away from the edge of the stairs.

He stood there a long time, holding onto me hard, his body shaking. I smelt him breathing in and out, long shuddering breathing that was more about my smell than the need for oxygen, hands clutching hard to the fabric on my back.

"You're fucking dead. What are you doing here?" He swore, sounding groggy, but he didn't raise his voice.

"I'm not dead."

"We had your _funeral_." Clayton grabbed at me and yanked me into his bedroom. It was the first time I'd actually been in here, in this room, and he flipped on the light. Stared at me as if I was a ghost. Clayton rubbed his head again, looking as drugged as he smelt, trying to shake it free. "We had your funeral."

"I didn't die. Where's Nick?"

"New York. Ran off when it was over. Shit. Is Elena..."

The words froze as I shook my head. Elena wasn't with me.

I saw it, saw the grief and regret there crash into his head, as he staggered back and nearly tripped over clothing that was lying there on the ground. "We lost track of her. I hoped … hoped he'd taken you both." I grabbed at him as he started to fall backwards, yanking him back up this time.

"I shouldn't have left her side. I'm sorry."

"You do what she tells you. If she tells you to go, you do it. If she suggests you go... make up your own mind." No humour was in his face though. He looked devastated. Clayton let me help him back to the bed.

"We'll find her." I tried to reassure him. He scowled.

"Yeah." Clayton was struggling to stay awake now. I lowered him into the bed, as he passed out again, his breathing slowing. Whatever instinct had made him launch out of bed and at me had been overwhelmed again by the drug. He'd probably wake up thinking I was a dream if my smell wasn't all over the place.

I backed out, slowly, and backed right up into arms. A chest. A head grabbing at me, the arms tightening so hard I struggled to breathe, Reece clinging to me.

"You." He growled, softly, shutting the door for me. "Had a funeral today."

"I told you."

"Then you vanish and I don't even know if you did make it out." He didn't seem angry though. Relieved, was more like it, Reece was relieved. "Who did we bury today then?"

God. I didn't know.

I turned around, Reece's arms briefly loosening to let me, and hugged him as hard as he hugged me. He breathed out slowly, shaking, nose against my hair. "You're back. Welcome home."

"Nick's in New York?"

"Antonio took him and the triplets. He isn't coping well. Matt wanted to stay at Forestwatch so Jeremy's with him." Reece stood back then, grasping my hand, and we headed downstairs so we didn't wake anyone. I followed him outside. "Want me to come with you?"

"Yeah. If you're not doing anything else." I had to admit, I did. I didn't want to be without pack for a second.

"Nope. I'll get my stuff." Reece kissed my forehead and headed back inside. He returned with his keys and wallet. "Should you leave a note for Jeremy?"

"I... guess I should." I didn't want to wait a second more. I wanted to race after Nick. But he was right. I scribbled a quick note, adding that Lucas would explain it too, and we headed off for the airport again. Once I rounded up Nick, I'd come straight back for Matt, be here before breakfast if I could. He'd know by then.

"How did Matt take it?"

"I can't tell you. He hasn't said a word and didn't come to the funeral." Reece said softly, hands on the wheel, as we made our way back to the airport. "I don't think he's taking it well. He'll be okay though."

"And Nick?"

He shook his head, lips pressing together, and didn't answer.

That said more than any words. I sighed out, slowly, shutting my eyes. How could I explain it to him? Suddenly I felt like I'd made the wrong choice again, even though logically I hadn't, even though we'd achieved a small victory over someone who always seemed a few steps ahead of us.

"Clayton didn't take it well either." He finally said, softly, after we'd boarded the nearly empty plane. No one like flying this time of night apparently. "I thought I'd have to rescue you from him after today."

"He didn't?"

"He almost attacked Demetruis's mother when she showed up with your twins. He was about ready to drag her to the basement and get answers out of her, little old lady or not. Jeremy's been keeping him sedated to keep him calm." He reached out to touch my hand. "I really was starting to think..."

"Sorry. We weren't allowed to call anyone." I grasped his hand in mine, stroking it, aware that the fear was back in Reece's face. God. What had I done to them?

"Did it work? Did you get the bastard?"

I nodded and he smiled only then, squeezing my hands.

"_Good_."

Once we'd reached New York we headed for the apartment. Nick prefered it, we hoped he'd be there, but when we got there it was quiet. Not empty though. Antonio and Lillian were both there. She must have been in bed somewhere but Antonio wasn't. Antonio was awake, sitting at the table, looking like he'd actually been crying. He stared at me as we walked in, sitting up, face draining of blood.

"Surprise!" Reece tried to smile, tried to joke, as I was captured in another pair of arms.

We stood there, Antonio hugging me, my arms trapped, and after a while he released me. "What happened?"

I explained, quickly, while _trying_ to not look for Nick. Antonio listened, took it all in quickly, and nodded as he sat down and made me sit down beside him.

"I..." He reached out, touching my face, hand shaking. "Sorry. I'm just … I thought ..."

"Sorry."

"No. I'm relieved." He got up again, hugged me again, as if he couldn't let go of me. "I'm so damn relieved. Want me to wake the babies?"

"No. I'll say hello later. Is Nick here?"

Antonio stiffened and slid back, sitting, shaking his head. "He went to the clubs."

He went nightclubbing? I stared at him as he tried to smile, tried to stop shaking, disbelief.

"He didn't cope. Last I saw him, he was heading out the door already half drunk. I can call him and try and get him to come back. Or you could." He offered me the phone and I shook my head.

"Find out where he is and I'll go get him. He's drunk." The last thing we needed was for Nick to try and walk or drive back pissed out of his head.

Antonio called him and they spoke briefly. It was when he tried to tell Nick that I was alive that I heard Nick hang up on him. He grimaced, repeating the club name tom e, and reached out to hug me again before we took off to find this place.

I reconised it. It was the same place we'd had a fight in. He was standing at the bar, or rather, he was slumped at the bar, head in his hands, ignoring the entire world except for the drink he was staring into, still in a black suit. They were all ignoring him now. He wasn't the life of the party and growled at anything that came too close. Reece squeezed my shoulder.

"I'll be watching." He reassured me.

I tried to call Nick, tried to get his attention, but he kept his back on everyone. Ignored my hand. Ignored me. He couldn't see us, didn't want to see us, he was just gone. Shut down.

"Sorry, Miss. He isn't moving." The bartender tried to apologise. "I'd call security but..." The look he gave Nick, full of sympathy, it told me exactly what Nick's face looked like.

"Tell them to put Closer on." I knew that'd get his attention.

"Closer?"

"By ...I don't know. Ne-something. That'll get his attention."

Reece nodded and faded. I didn't know how he managed it but it only took a few minutes before it was on.

Like I suspected, Nick's head swung up, the rage and grief so horrible that my regret coming back. He didn't see me, he didn't see anyone, he literally pushed past me to get to the DJ booth as the song started.

I followed him easily, he was shoving people out of his way, and grabbed his arm, yanking him easily back, pushing him backwards until his back met a wall. The smell of dampness was all over his collar, all over his tie, face white,eyes red. He stared at me, blinking, the rage not gone but ...replaced with more grief. He thought I wasn't real. Tears were running down his face. Too many fucking tears.

We stood there, quiet, as the song played, his eyes focusing and unfocusing, the alcohol fucking with his head as badly as the lie I'd had to play out.

He was _alive_. The sudden realisation really hit me now. Nick hadn't been exploded in some stupid fire. I shuddered myself, relief flooding me, leaning against his chest as his scent filled my lungs. I heard his heart racing against his chest, his body shaking, his breathing shuddering with something as tears fell onto my head and bare shoulders. A forehead flopped onto my head, arms tentatively grasping my arms, and neither of us spoke. I felt his tears, hot and salty, running into my hair. Down my head.

I finally moved, as the song ended and another one came on, Nick's hands tightening when I tried. Slowly I backed out, his body following mine automatically, Reece behind us. Only when we were outside did I make him let go, grasping his hand, leading him to the waiting car. He was so damn drunk that he struggled to walk, staggering, and Reece had to help him stay upright.

"I'm seeing things." He said, when Reece got him into the car. I had to sit behind him.

"No, you're not." Reece replied, going around, and got into the driver's seat. "Don't throw up."

Nick did throw up, and there wasn't anything either of us could do about it, and when we got the the apartment the sight of me made him flinch again.

"I'm seeing things." Nick muttered, as Reece slipped an arm under him, holding him up while I got the doors and lift opened.

"Pink bunnies? Yellow kangaroos?" Reece tried to joke off the vomit that was all over Nick, and so, all over Reece.

"_Liz_." Nick reached for me. I slid my hand into his, ignoring the wetness there, and he shut his eyes as the tears started again. When he drew me into his other side I didn't resist or care that I was getting covered by the shit. He needed me there.

Antonio looked like he half expected me to be not real as well, that same shock still there when we stumbled back in, but he took one look at Nick and went with Reece into the bathroom to clean him up while I tried to change in the other bathroom.

Briefly I looked at the toddlers. They were asleep, Lillian in the room with them, looking unaffected by the dramas we were going through.

I realised that tomorrow... no, _today_... was Nick's birthday. I hoped he wasn't too hung over. Then their birthday in a few more days.

Shouts, cursing, and grunts came from the bathroom. I shut the door quietly, turning, and hurried into the other bathroom as Nick struggled with Antonio and Reece, half dressed, the shower soaking him.

He froze as I came in. I opened my arms, Nick's jaw opening, and he stepped the few steps, almost falling over in his haste, grabbing me in a wet embrace.

"I don't care if you are a hallucination." He muttered. "Don't go. I'll keep drinking. Don't go away again."

"_Stop_ drinking and let them shower you."

When he made no move to get back in the shower, I sighed, and led him in myself. Nick stood there placidly as the water washed away the vomit, eyes fixed in me as it soaked me too, and when he made no move to struggle or fight, Antonio and Reece left him with me.

Nick passed out halfway through dressing, eyes shutting, and they helped me drag him into the living room and onto the couch . He looked fucking awful. The creases in his face were worse, he hadn't shaved since he'd found out, and even asleep he was struggling with nightmares. I fell asleep in the chair next to him, only waking when Antonio shook me awake and told me to get into dry clothing and get some sleep. He'd be passed out for a while and I needed to sleep.

I wanted to argue but I was so exhausted that I did what he told me. Only when he promised to call Jeremy, though, and wake Matt to tell him I was okay. After seeing Nick I didn't want Matt to wait a second longer to find out I was safe and alive.

This time I slept deep and without a single dream.

The bed sunk as a heavy body crawled onto it and onto me, waking me early the next morning, Nick's scent pinning me down as much as his body was. He stared at me, hands stroking my face, brushing hair out of it. He cringed as light hit him, swearing, rolling off me to shut the blinds, then he flopped back onto our bed.

"You feel real." He muttered, not drunk, but there was pain in his eyes with the movement. He was badly hungover. Nick lifted my hand, stroking the bracelet still there, kissing the soft skin. "Taste real."

"I'm real."

He shuddered softly, eyes shutting, head flopping onto my shoulder. I rolled onto my side and slid a leg over him. Nick opened one eye, then the other, fear there for a fraction of a second as if he was sure he'd open them and I'd be gone.

"I had this fucking awful dream. You died. There was a funeral." He growled, suddenly pushing me back, pinning me down. "Too much booze."

"No, that was real. I didn't die though. We had to hide." I reached up to stroke his face, amazed at the texutre of his hair- unwashed!-, running my hands over his whiskers. "So we broke the contract."

"The contract?" Nick shut his eyes, head flopping onto my chest, breathing in and out slowly. It took him a while to understand what I was saying. "You're his slave now?"

"Other way around." Despite myself, despite the horrible expression he'd had last night that was burnt into my mind now and for the rest of my life, I smiled somewhat then. Nick lifted his head and blinked.

Then I saw it. Just the faintest trace of relief and amusement. He groaned, gathering me up in his arms, holding me hard against his chest as we lay there.

"_Fuck_, Aussie."

"Fuck." I agreed, wrapping arms around him. "I ...thought you might have died."

"When?" He lifted his head up a bit too fast, cringing, but when he kissed me hard, I knew he was as much alive as I was. I couldn't answer for a long time, our lips trying to kiss each other, the desperation and relief put into it, our breathing faster now. "When?"

"Clayton's car exploded." I finally answered, as he slid back, yanking clothing out of his way.

"We weren't in it. We were told to stay outside, not stay in the car, so we... were outside. Hold on a second." Nick stood up, stripping as fast as he could.

"Now?" I leaned up and he grinned, weak, the traces of the pain still there.

"_Please_." He crawled back onto the bed, slowly, and when I nodded he lowered himself between my legs.

The relief we felt when we rejoined bodies, skin brushing against skin, his heart racing against mine, it was all Nick needed... he needed to be sure I was really there. Not a fantasy or a hallucination. He groaned softly against my ear as he froze, arms wrapping around me, my legs squeezing his hips.

"You're really here." Nick said, quietly, gazing down at me. He shut his eyes, grinding his hips hard againts mine, feeling my responding grind back, breathing out in a long low shudder, his hands running along my thighs and gently pulling them up higher.

"Look. I'll prove it." I leaned up, bit him hard, sharp, breaking the skin, and he hissed in pain, teeth finding me and biting back hard. We growled, nipping and licking and kissing each other, nails digging into each other as he started to move then, harder, desperate almost, hands trying to tear the shirt out of his way. I did it for him.

It only took a few minutes of this before we felt our release, not his or mine, but the release together, Nick shaking above me as it flooded through his body and into mine, and my eyes shut as it spread through my hips and throughout my body, pleasure making me go limp in his arms.

He collapsed on top of me, shaking, kissing my sweaty skin.

"Happy birthday." I murmured against his ear, my breathing slowing, reaching up to stroke the skin I'd nipped a bit too hard.

"Next time you fake death, I'm faking it with you." He growled, softly, refusing to get off me as I nudged him.

"We have to go home. To Stonehaven. I have to see Matt."

"In a few minutes." Nick shut his eyes, his breathing slowing, and I sighed.

I fell asleep too, the warmth of his body not bothering me for a while, not till the summer day got warmer. When he shifted up, I woke, and Nick shifted to my side.

"Sorry..." I finally said it. He smiled a tense smile.

"Don't do that again. Okay?"

I nodded and he shut his eyes again.

We got fifteen minutes before the door opened and Susie led the charge into the bedroom. Nick got up and dressed quickly, throwing me another big tshirt of his, and we crawled onto the bed for snuggles. They knew I'd 'died' but they weren't sure what that meant, so they weren't too upset, just glad to see me. A week away, to them, was bad. Very bad.

"We're on a flight back." Antonio came in soon after, bringing breakfast, offering Nick a glass of water and a couple of pills. "How's your head?"

"She cured it." Nick took the pills anyway, as Antonio opened the blinds and made him cringe, one hand still fixed firmly onto mine.

"Happy birthday." Antonio smiled at Nick, a warm affectionate smile, before he sat down beside us, taking Susie as she crawled to him, relief flooding his face as he reached out to touch my leg. Tentative. Like he wasn't sure himself. "Guess you got a good present."

"Here." I slipped the bracelet off and gave it to Nick. "Keep it safe."

Nick nodded a fraction, fingering it, then reaching out to stroke my face. "You keep safe. It's just metal and carbon."

"Uh huh."

Antonio helped us pack up the toddler's things, thankfully mostly still packed from the trip down to New York the day before, and with Reece and Lillian's help, we got onto the plane with as little drama as possible. Three car seats in the baggage compartment, three suitcases for the three of them, plus the extra ones for adults... travelling with toddlers was not easy. It slowed us down quite a lot.

Clayton was waiting for us when we got to the smaller airport. He looked tense, stressed, but when he saw me he smiled a fraction, even happy to accept a hug from me, inhaling slowly. "Thought you were a dream till I saw Lucas."

"You were drugged."

"Jeremy."

Of course. If Clayton had really tried to attack Demetruis's mother... logical step to take.

He was still tense though and took me aside, as they got the toddlers and baggage into the waiting car. "Thought you'd want to hear now."

"Hear?"

"Matt ran away last night." Clayton's hand tightened on my arm as I jerked. "Jeremy went to wake him and he was gone. We're going to chase after him when we've got your toddlers home. He's little. He won't run fast."

I nodded, shutting my eyes, wishing to god I'd just thought of...stopping in there. I'd been in such a rush to get to Nick. I could have woken him myself. I thought I'd let him sleep. Stupid idea. Really stupid.

"If you're beating yourself up again then stop before I do it for you." Clayton's voice cut through my thoughts. "Come on."

I sat in the front seat as they waited for Clayton to come around with his car- there wasn't enough room for all of us in one car- and tried to not panic. Matt wasn't a dumb kid. He'd be ok till we found him.

A voice came out through the hum of voices. A woman's voice, pleasant, polite, and a little amused. I wasn't sure why, out of all those voices, hers would come through like it was...

Not till I realised what she was saying.

"-orry, but without your guardian or parent' here, we can't allow you to buy any tickets to Alaska, Australia, or anywhere else."

"But I have a note from my mum." That was Matt's voice. I was jumping out of the car before Antonio could blink, slipping through the doors and a couple of people with suitcases. "And a credit card."

"Notes don't work here, sorry. Would you like me to call someone?"

I could see him at the desk, holding up a crumbled note and a card, red hair vivid through the crowd, his backpack stuffed with something. I jogged across, Antonio calling me back, the wind blowing my scent right at Matt through the crowd. He spun around, eyes widening, that stubborn determined 'I'll get my way one way or another' expression fading.

He stared at me, note still in hand, and as I skidded up to him, he burst into tears. Matt, stubborn, strong, and a little too keen to wander off on his own... crying.

"Are you his mum?"

"His aunt. Guardian." I picked Matt up when his legs gave way, lifting up him, his arms flying around my neck and clutching on like a little monkey. Or a little puppy. He was whimpering and sniffing, snot and tears already flowing freely, clutching so hard I wondered if he was trying to throttle me at the ssame time. "Sorry for the problem. He ran away."

"It's all right. Here's your card. I was going to call them up." She handed me the card and the note.

"Y-you p-_promised_." I heard his voice, devastated, clutching harder still when I tried to free one arm to get it.

"Let me get the card and we'll go into the car." I tried to sooth him, taking the card and stroking his back, no more tough grown up kid act from him. "Thanks."

"No problem."

I turned and headed back for the car. Antonio was waiting, Clayton just pulling up, and he shook his head as he saw who was latched onto my neck.

"Where was he trying to go?"

"Alaska or Australia. I'm not sure." I slid into the front seat with Matt, after trying to detach him, but he refused to let go of me and go in Clayton's car. In the end, Lillian had to go in Antonio's car, and I got into the back seat of Clayton's car with Matt in my lap. "Hey, look. I'm here."

"You promised to not die!" He started to hit me then, hard hits an adult man would envy, putting all his wolfishness into it, growling and baring his teeth as I grabbed his hands. "You promised!"

"I didn't die, did I? See? Right here."

When he gave up trying to yank his hands free I let go and he curled up again in my lap, refusing to get off, until I had to give in and put the seat belt around the two of us.

I felt him tremble, breathing hard, and stroked his back slowly, trying to calm him down. Changing in the car wouldn't be much fun.

Clayton drove away carefully, Nick beside us, his hand in my free one. He held up the note and I had to suppress the urge to laugh. It, while a very _nice_ note, was very clearly not written by an adult. I had to give it to Matt though. Nothing was spelt wrong, the letters were neat, and while the wording wasn't really there... 'please let matt go to australia because he has to go home and I will be on another plane soon thankyou anne matts mom' … I wondered if spell check was really such a bad thing after all.

Matt was still crying as I folded it up and pushed it into the seat pocket thing. I helped him get the backpack off and dropped it to the ground.

"They had a funeral for you and everything." He tried to talk, jaw shaking, shoulders heaving as he cried his heart out. It broke my heart and I squeezed him against me.

"I know. They know I'm okay now. It was a misunderstanding. Where were you going?"

He didn't answer for a long time. Just sat there and breathed in and out, slowly, eyes shut, leaning against me. Then, "Australia but she said I couldn't go. I thought I could join the dingos. So then I thought I could go to Alaska because I heard there are wolves there and I thought I could join them."

It made sense, so to speak, from his logic. Australians would notice a little red wolf running with dingos- we had no wolves - and they'd assume he was an escaped pet running free. I also doubted that dingos would even let him near them. I wondered if wolves would accept him either. Probably not, he was a young male.

"Where were you?" Matt looked up now. His face was covered in snot and tears. I glanced at Nick, who shrugged off his shirt without a thought and offered it to me. I wiped it as he glanced at me.

"I had to stay hiding for a while. There was a man who tried to hurt me and we had to make him think I was dead. I heard what you did with the man trying to hurt Logan. I'm very proud." I smiled a litlte, as the trace of a smile appeared then, wiping his face gently with the shirt.

"You said to not kill so I made his legs stop working." He smiled a little. "He was trying to take Logan away."

Clayton glanced back. "You get trained earlier for that."

That cheered Matt up. He slid out of my lap and into the spot between us when I undid the seatbelt for him, pulling his own on, glancing around.

"So where are your babies?" He glanced at Nick then, confused. "The little ones."

"They're with their father." I replied, as Nick's arm came across the back of the seat over Matt's head, finding my bare shoulder and stroking it gently.

"Who is he? Isn't he Nick?" He glanced from me to Nick, caught the tenseness in Nick's face, and frowned. "Did you cheat on Nick?"

"No, she didn't cheat." Nick spoke up, shaking his head, his fingers still stroking my skin slowly. "It wasn't her fault."

"The father made me get pregnant. Do you know about how babies are made?" I flinched a little. Maybe I should have had this talk with him but he was so young. Schools had health classes.

"Women have eggs in their womb in their stomach and men make it grow. My teacher said that it was messy and only adults could do it and we were lucky. Sex." He said the word without really getting what it meant, I suspected, but he nodded gravely. "So someone made you get pregnant when you didn't want to."

I nodded and he frowned. "But why do they stay with you if he made you do it?"

"Because I want them. I love them like I love you and the triplets. I don't want any of you to go anywhere." I squeezed his shoulder, so relieved that we'd found him without much issue. It made sense that he'd come to the airport. He must have walked the whole way, how incredible, but it showed how upset he'd been.

"Why do they stay with him then? Aren't you angry with him?"

"Because ..." Shit. I didn't know how to explain that one. I was about to come up with something about how they had a grandmother when Nick spoke up. I knew he couldn't resist.

"Because the man threatened her. But we're not letting them stay with him any more. Are we?"

I shook my head, Matt's frown deepened. He was putting the pieces together pretty fast, like the smart kid he was, his hand still clutching to mine. "Is that the one that tried to hurt you?" I nodded and he seemed to get it now. "But where are they now?"

"Safe with the man's mother. We're getting them back today or tomorrow." Today, I was determined it would be today, but I added tomorrow just in case. Matt had been through enough to be disappointed.

"Is that why you ran away for months?" Matt blurted it out, sudden, and I saw the hurt in his face. He might have liked what I'd done after but not during it. "You never called me."

"I was upset about ...about being made pregnant. When I didn't want it. It was like he'd beaten me up but it was going on for a long time. I thought it was better to stay away till it was over." I tried to explain, tried so hard, but he didn't answer for a long time.

"It was like being beaten up?"

"It hurt to be like that when it wasn't Nick's one."

"You shouldn't have gone. We would have taken care of you." He muttered, shutting his eyes, leaning on me. "If Nick was mean I would have bit him."

"Exactly." Clayton muttered. I gave him a look and he returned it.

"See? Clayton knows." Matt's breathing was slowing. "It's okay. You can be hurt around us. I won't make fun of you."

He was already falling asleep after a few minutes and we made the last of the journey in silence, Nick's hand not leaving my shoulder, as Clayton drove quietly.

It was fine for us, I realised, because we were back together. Nearly. But his Elena, our _Alpha_, was still missing. I gave him a tense smile in the mirror and he tried to return it, he did his best, but it was closer to a scowl than a smile.

We got out and I lifted Matt up, Nick taking his backpack, carefully carrying him into Forestwatch. It was his home and it made more sense for him to come here. Antonio's car was already here, the sound of someone having a tantrum inside, Nick groaning softly as he jogged ahead of me to try and help his dad with an unhappy toddler. Toddlers? Sounded like Antonio had a dozen of them screaming in there.

Matt woke as we entered the house, getting me to put him down, and said he wanted to go sleep for a while. He looked so buggered that I nodded and he vanished upstairs, tugging his ruined shoes off and throwing them on the ground, and I didn't tell him off. Just picked them up calmly and dropped them on the porch outside.

Three screaming toddlers captured my legs at once, tears running down their faces, looking like they'd been crying for hours.

"Sorry. They panicked when you didn't come back." Antonio was holding a chocolate bar and looked exhausted. "Matt okay?"

"Tired. He's fine."

"I'll take food up for him." Nick volunteered, cringed when Antonio gave him a look, and changed his mind. "I'll help you. Dad, can you..."

"I've already got it waiting in the oven." Lillian called. She smiled at Nick, then at me, before she and Antonio retreated as fast as they could.

I knew I'd been away too long too much when I sat down and they all tried to get into my lap at once. Three nearly three year olds, crying, telling me that I had to stay now, clinging to me with some serious separation issues that I knew we'd probably have to deal with for a long time now. Bugger. Matt might have got it, I hoped, but ...they were a bit young.

Nick sat down beside me in the doorway and we sat with them, rocking them, singing to them, till their hysterical crying quietened and they started to fall asleep on me. Not one allowed Nick to move them, all three staying put somehow, only letting him when they were asleep.

"They'll calm down." He smiled a weak smile. "I should have been with them more."

"Me too." I nuzzled against them, sighing softly, Lily's hand holding onto my top hard. "We'll put them in the living room. I'll ...stay there."

"Okay."

He helped me by taking Lily, gently unwinding her hand from me, and we carried them into the living room. Nick put Lily down for a moment, dragging the cushions onto the floor, and we lay them down side by side, the three of them curled up and clutching to each other.

Nick brought us some food and we sat there, side by side, leaning against the couch and watching them sleep. He wrapped an arm over my shoulder and I leaned against him.

"How's your hangover?"

"I can cope." He smiled a tense smile. "Took some more asprin in the kitchen. I keep thinking you're a dream."

I pinched the sore spot on his neck, where I'd bitten him, and he cringed and nipped my finger. "Feel like a dream?"

"Felt like a dream for years." He muttered, stroking my hair, as I lay back with my head in his lap. "I'll get your ring repaired."

"It was found?"

"Yeah. The pieces are upstairs. I was going to repair them one day." He shut his eyes, the pain flashing through them a moment, but I stroked his face and he leaned into my hand. "Shit. Next time you fake a death I'm doing it with you."

"Won't be another time." I bloody well hoped there wouldn't, anyway. "They're so big now."

Our eyes went back to the toddlers, and Nick laughed softly.

"Dad was teaching them Italian while you were gone. I suppose I better teach you."

"I guess you better. You speak it?"

He nodded, hand tracing through my hair, and I shut my eyes as he spoke in it. He could have been calling me names, for all I cared, it was Nick's voice speaking another language. And the tone of his voice was soft, gentle, even soothing. I could have fallen asleep right then and there

"Nick?"

"Mmm?"

"If anyone comes today, looking for me, even if it's Jeremy...tell them to bugger off. I'm worried about Elena but ...I want to be near you for now. And them. I don't know anything more than anyone else." I opened one eye.

"You got it. No one comes in. Can we let Dad and Lillian out?"

"They can come and go. They're your parents." I smiled as he leaned down, kissing me gently, and sat up so our heads were the right way. "Did they make up properly?"

"I'm working on it." I saw it, the flicker of something there, a cheeky look that suggested he was more than 'working' on it. Maybe Nick had really decided it'd happen. God help them if he did. He was laid back about nearly everything but when he made up his mind about something...

The small hand distracted me from our make out session, Dominic crawling between us, yawning and looking more relaxed now. He snuggled in between us as we kissed, his eyes shutting, and I breathed in and out slowly.

"Next time I fake death, you can all fake it with me. The entire family. The entire pack. We'll take a holiday together."

"Deal." He laughed softly, leaned down to kiss his son's reddish curls, and then me again. "They were singing."

"What?" I gazed down in wonder at Dominic.

"To the radio. Susie got the idea and the other two liked it so they sing now." He laughed softly. "I was too ...to really care. But you should have seen them. Every time there's a song they try to copy it. It drives the older kids mad during a disney movie. They did it just before I came back."

"You were trying to find Elena?" I hadn't meant to bring up 'business' but it was impossible not to.

"And you. And Lucas. Thought you were all together. If I'd known you were..."

"It doesn't matter. We wouldn't have let you find us. What happened?" I stroked his face. Behind me, I heard Lily and Susie start to wake, but neither of them were upset or screaming, just talking to each other sleepily about something in words I did not get. Their 'triplet language' they'd had for years.

"We saw Reece and Paige leave, so we thought we'd sneak into the back and see what was going on. Then our car blows up, and they're racing outside, and Clayton saw Elena being shoved into a dark van. So we stole Paige's car and chased them." He stroked my hair, slowly. "I saw more explosions but we were more focused on Elena. We chased that car for miles. Then when it vanished, we traced him for miles more. We lost sight of her though and lost him. I come back, Dad told me you were..." His breath hitched then, his lips finding mine, as if he needed to make sure I was really there. "Well, I don't know much after that. It went blurry."

"I'm sorry I didn't ..."

"You got him to break that stupid fuc... spell. He can't make you his slave." He nipped my lip. "Worth it after that scare he gave us. Fuc..."

I nipped him as he nearly swore again, and he laughed, one of the girls finally getting up to join the snuggle. Lily was fast after her sister and again we had to figure out how to snuggle triplets between the two of us.

"Show Mama your singing." Nick asked Lily, who beamed at him, all trace of her unhappiness gone, standing up much straighter.

I watched in amazement as she started to sing and Susie joined in. Dominic refused to, he just sat between us, watching his sisters with his big blue eyes, sucking his thumb against my chest. When Nick tried to detach it I saw him hold onto it harder, stubborn, giving his dad such a classic _glare_ that I had to laugh. It looked like a glare I'd see from Clayton.

"He knows what he wants."

Dominic gazed up at me as I laughed, the glare fading, looking pleased with himself. Uh oh. I may have just ...encouraged this.

Oh well. He was cute when he sucked his thumb. I stroked his face, the curls adorable, and clapped for the girls when they finished their song.

Matt came down in time for lunch. He seemed better too, once he'd reassured himself that I was really back, and chased around the toddlers while I tried to make lunch for everyone. Antonio helped out.

Some part of me was waiting desperately for news about the twins. Nothing though. No call, I didn't see Jeremy after Nick made it clear on the phone that I needed that day alone, and even I was starting to get tempted to walk over to Stonehaven and just check. You never knew. Maybe Benicio had called there.

Antonio checked for me, after he saw me glance at my phone, and nothing. Lucas was still there though and they wanted to come over for Nick's birthday. Everyone.

"As long as there's no business talk. Till after midnight."

Antonio nodded, repeating this, and I heard someone curse. Clayton probably was eager to get onto chasing that asshole down now. I knew why, I couldn't blame him, but ...if he'd seen how the triplets had reacted, he would understand. They noticed when I was gone. Maybe they'd been noticing for a long time now.

"Do you want to cook? We can get something." Antonio asked, when he hung up, coming over to hug me with that same affectionate hug.

"Yeah. You can get something. I'm tired." I smiled weakly as I leaned against him a moment. "I'll make a cake and that's about all I can handle right now."

"We'll get something in town and come back. Won't be long." He picked up his keys. "Lily, want to come or help make his cake?"

Lillian glanced up from where she was admiring toddler drawnings. It was Nick's first birthday, I realised, the first one she'd been to. It was a huge day for her.

"I want to help with the cake. If you don't mind."

"No. They'll be here in a few hours with more food, I'll head off now." He ksised my forehead and then smiled warmly at Lily, who managed to return it, before heading outside and trying to ignore the stampede of toddler feet who caught onto what he was doing.

It wasn't just me they were getting anxious about, apparently, because the second he was gone they burst into tears again.

Lillian and I comforted them, Nick got the bright idea of putting a movie on with songs, and this distracted them enough.

"Chitty chitty bang bang?" I laughed as I saw them crowd around the TV.

"I loved it when I was little." He shrugged. "Had a huge crush on truly. This is the sixteenth time I've put it on for them."

"Sixteenth?" I watched them sit there, totally enwraptured, the tears drying on their cheeks.

"They like the songs. Can I help make the cake?"

"No." Both Lillian and myself said it at the same time, glancing at each other, and Nick held up his hands.

"Okay, I'll ...go upstairs. Check work. Don't go far."

We cooked while the toddlers watched the movie, Matt sitting down to watch too, only sneaking out to get a spoonful of the cake batter when he smelt the oven on. Lillian watched them, smiling gently, as if she couldn't believe where she was right now.

"It must have been hard to be without him." I said quietly, when it was in the oven, and she flinched a little.

"Every time this day comes, I'm used to dreading it. I don't know what to do with myself." She admitted softly. "It's like a dream."

I understood. If I never saw the twins again, their birthday would be a nightmare, memories I couldn't bear to remember.

"What color icing?" I held up the box and she glanced at it, smiled that wicked smile I'd seen on Nick so much.

"Let's do a lot of colors. For the fun of it."

I nodded and we mixed up icing, separated it, and went crazy with the food colouring, mixing up a bunch of colours that made no real sense. Once the cake was out and cooled, we cut it in half, filled it with the cream, and covered it in random layers and stripes and swirls of icing. It'd make the kids go a bit nuts tonight... but who cared. We were having fun.

Lillian went upstairs for a sleep, reminding me that she wasn't like Antonio, wasn't exactly young. I finished it off and slid it into the fridge as Nick came back down and lifted me up.

"Come watch the movie with me."

We sat down together, snuggling up, Matt coming to snuggle into my other arm with that affection he'd held back for a long time.

Antonio returned and headed upstairs, vanishing for some time, and when I went up to wrap Nick's present, I caught him and Lillian in the guest room. Kissing, like I'd never seen that man kiss, like he was drowning. Or she was drowning. It was kind of amusing, in a way, and neither of them noticed me. Her hand was shaking against his head, he was leaning over her, and I saw the glint of tears …

I left, leaving them to that, aware that I'd witnessed such a private moment... when they wanted Nick to know, they'd tell him. Maybe it was their first kiss. I didn't know. I wrapped the beer and the book separately, sliding the book under his pillow, where he could find it later. The sound of another hysterical cry made me rush back downstairs, Lily trying to climb over the toddler gate.

"Where you go?" She cried, as I picked her up, and sighed a long deep sigh.

"I went to my bedroom. Why are you crying?"

She didn't answer, just snuggled into my neck, sniffing. Bugger. I was never leaving this house again.

"It's Daddy's birthday today. Then your birthday in a few days." I informed her as we headed back into the living room.

"I'm free." She agreed, clutching to my top again, her brown eyes shutting as she snuggled up to me. "I want fogs."

Frogs. She had this thing about _frogs_. I remembered we'd agreed to get them big kid beds ….maybe I could paint frogs onto hers.

The sound of cars outside made my head swing up. Jeremy got out, closely followed by Clayton, Kate and Logan rushing ahead of them and bursting into the living room.

"Can we put the movie back to the start?" Kate was already picking up the remote.

I went to answer but Matt did it for me. "Okay."

Shaking my head, I watched her put it back to the start and settle beside Matt, Logan on the other side, the two of them glancing at me without any shock. Clearly they'd been warned.

"I called them." Matt explained. He smiled a little. "They said they didn't believe it."

"We know you and mum are okay. You're always okay." Kate explained.

Logan glanced from her to me, as if he wasn't totally convinced himself, but he smiled a small smile anyway.

Big arms, Jeremy's scent, both wrapped around me as he followed them in.

"I thought that was a dream." He admitted, stepping back, taking in me and Lily in one go. "She's got your face."

"Her grand dad's eyes though." I smiled weakly. "How's Clay doing?"

"Clay is doing fine." Clay replied from behind me. "Two minutes after midnight and we ..."

"We know. Go put that food away and relax. It's Nick's birthday." Jeremy glanced behind him.

Clay moved past me to put the piles of food in the kitchen. Lucas and Paige, Jamie, Savannah, Adam, Reece and even Daniella. She was still avoiding looking at him but she smiled at me, squeezing my arm with her free arm, the other holding another bag of food.

"Clayton is going to be in your den for a few hours tonight working on it." Jeremy said softly. He accepted Lily as she made sure she transferred herself to him. "I can't stop him completely. Hi Lily. How are you?"

He carried her away as she informed him about her birthday soon.

I saw Lucas come back now his arms were free and he smiled a tense smile, glancing behind him to where Paige was nearby, her eyes fixed on his back. "How did they it?"

I shrugged. "Nick was drunk out of his head. How about you?"

"Paige took some sleeping pills. I had to wait till morning. She is still shocked." He smiled a small tense smile. "I think she understands but she is a little angry with us."

"Have you heard from Benicio?"

"No. Sorry." Lucas' eyes darkened a little. "I haven't heard anything either. He said he'd try and get the twins. We just have to let him do it safely. I did try and call him today a few times."

Safely was good. It was _great_. But I still felt so anxious. I had to see them before I believed they were safe.

"No business, remember?" Clayton growled, as he came back over, leaning against my shoulder. "Nick was drunk last night, huh."

"Out of his brain."

He didn't answer, just leaned there, breathing in and out slowly. "I am glad you're back."

The words were quiet, soft, and Lucas didn't hear them.

"We'll get her. Remember, the last time they tried to capture her..." In that van, when we'd been trying wedding dresses on, and she'd freed herself. Walked back home.

"They don't know what kind of woman they're messing with."

"Or mate." I added, as he stood up again.

"They know exactly what they're messing with, with me, and it shows they're mad." He tried to smile, tried to look confidant, but it wasn't working. There was a deep anxiety and panic in Clayton's eyes that threatened to explode all over the place. "I'm in your den if you come looking. Nick's present is on the table. Check before you come in."

In other words, I had to make sure he hadn't changed in the panic he was in. "Okay."

"I ain't going without you. You've got a hold over the bastard. _We're_ freeing her and letting her take over." He added, glancing over at Jeremy who'd returned. "No need for more drugs."

"I hope not." Jeremy replied. He was uncertain though. "Let me know. There's no need for panic either."

Clayton nodded a fraction, no smile there now, just that anxiety and panic in his face. He turned and headed off for the den without another word to us.

He didn't come out for the food, Jeremy took it into him, and we smiled and laughed, though I knew Clayton was falling apart. It was strange to see. Big tough guy, dangerous, and one hundred percent linked to Elena so deeply. Nick went in to sit with him for a while, then I did, taking in food and making him eat only when I reminded him we'd need energy. He looked like he'd been neglecting food for a while.

The cake lured him out though and even he had a twitch of the lips when he saw Lillian and I's 'creativity' with the icing.

We managed to keep the toddlers from having any, at least not till the next day, because the sugar would knock them over and keep them awake all night. The kids gorged themselves though. It was lucky it was a big cake.

I saw Lillian and Antonio, that night, sometimes a little more affectionate. Nothing obvious. A brush of a hand across an arm, or a glance that lasted a little longer than usual, a secret smile. No one else noticed, except Nick, and I wasn't sure if he believed it or not.

Nick helped me get the toddlers into bed that night, and we sang them to sleep, Nick using Italian and I was doing some random song... and they loved it. They fell asleep, the fan blowing the cool air across the three of them, all curled up in the same cot together, apparently not yet wanting to be separate from each other. This separation anxiety might be a problem later but it wasn't going to matter right now.

Lucas and Paige were going to stay here tonight, in case Benicio called, and she finally came over and thanked me. Then hit me. Then thanked me again. Lucas shrugged slightly.

Nick led me upstairs, Matt racing around with the kids, with a few hours left till midnight. Jeremy was watching them for us.

"What?"

"I found your present under the pillow. Marked a few pages." He smiled , crawling onto the bed, but his smile faded when I didn't follow him. "What?"

I shut the door and locked it. Then, with him watching, I stripped. Nick lay back, watching, a mixture of amusement and interest, and when I was done I crawled over, heels still on, and let him show me one of his 'marked pages'.

We fell asleep tangled up, after he'd thrown my heels to one side, napping against each other.

A soft knock startled me later that night, and I got up in a hurry, Nick lifting up to watch me, as I tugged on clothing as fast as I could. It was either Lucas with news or...

It was Clayton, leaning against the hallway, no trace of tiredness in his face. There was only the anxiety and fear there, just barely hidden in his eyes, as he glanced from me to Nick. Nick stood up and dressed, clearly not intending on being left out of this one, before he strode over and stood beside me.

"Time to work."


	15. Maneuvers

We went downstairs and I told Clayton more or less what I'd figured out during the week away. He'd come to similar conclusions and was more or less convinced that, even if Demetruis wasn't a member of the resistance group, he was working along side them for now. The two attacks were too close together.

Clayton and Nick had also run into several mutts who were undergoing the 'treatment' while they'd hunted Demetruis down. Nick had been robbed by one seeking money. They were desperate for the treatment, even 'addicted', willing to do or steal or kill to get it so they could keep 'normal'. They were with a vampire.

It was a strange world out there, apparently. Supernatural beings pairing up our of sheer desperation to regain their powers back. The internet was going mad with stories about them now. Clayton had gotten the money back and reminded them 'gently' to stay low but when I told him the sheer figures of how many people were sick, even he looked taken back.

"And our treatment isn't going to last."

"I don't know. Maybe not." I admitted.

Clayton frowned. "Then we better get on with it."

Jeremy came down after a while and joined us. He didn't try to tell Clayton to calm down or get sleep, though he repeated his offer of a sedative for a little rest before we headed off. I didn't know where to start though. None of us did. Demetruis had no known residence. We only knew about his mother.

I was distracted though, by the sleeping toddlers upstairs, by Matt, by the twins, and it was clear that I wasn't really able to leave just yet. I tried to be focused in it. I really did. Clayton got more and more annoyed with me as I zoned out, Nick squeezing my arm, though he was equally as reluctant to rush off.

"Sorry. My twins were supposed to be here yesterday." I muttered, finally, as Clayton kicked my chair and kicked me back into reality. "The twins are with Demetruis' mother right now."

"I said where's his mother live?"

"I don't know. Benicio Cortez knows."

"Jer, can you give him a call?" Clayton didn't care that it was reaching two in the morning. He had a job to do.

Jeremy already had his phone out. No answer on the other end.

Clayton stood up. He was just about ready to go now, I realised, but I had no clue where he was going. Jeremy stood up too.

"Lucas is asleep. Don't wake him."

"We've got to get Elena. She's been gone a week." Clayton pushed past Jeremy, heading upstairs, and Jeremy looked like he was ready to get him.

Then he sighed, sat down, and pulled over the map of where Nick and Clayton had gone.

When Clayton returned, it wasn't just Lucas and Paige. Antonio was there too, looking as sleepy as they were, flopping down beside me.

We went over it, Lucas saying something about the 'broken contract' possibly assisting me tracking Demetruis down, but he wasn't a hundred percent certain about that. As soon as he said that, Clayton was standing and shoving a backpack at me.

"What?" I stared at it.

"Nick packed for you. We need to get going. How does the tracking work?" He glanced at Lucas who looked as surprised by the sudden movement as I had.

"She has to feel it. I've never been in one. Not many have." He glanced at me. "You'll have to go with it."

I remembered, as I sat there, how it'd felt like 'strings'. Hooking him to me. Like a fishing rod. The more I thought about it, the more I was aware of those strings, like they got less transparent, more clear, more obvious.

It was Benicio who gave us a lead. He apologised to me- the mother of Demetruis had flat out refused to let them on the property and he was working on it- but he suggested that Demetruis might be there. If we showed up, I might be able to order into the microphone and _make_ him come out.

"But if he isn't there?" I added, as Clayton looked about ready to get up then and there. "What if he's not there and we've just told him I'm alive?"

No one spoke for a while.

It was Paige who spoke, softly, glancing from Lucas to us. "The treatment is being sold to anyone who'll pay for it. We could get someone to go for it."

"Not me though."

"No. Someone else. Cassandra." Paige caught Clayton's face as he flinched, scowling, and shrugged. "She's the only one I think he might believe is more interested in herself than the greater good."

"Because she is." Clayton interrupted.

"Aaron isn't. If everyone agrees, I can call them, and see if we can get them to find out where treatments are offered." Paige glanced around. No one was shaking their head, except Clayton's clear dislike of the woman, and she stood up with her phone and went outside.

Aaron and Cassandra. The two vampires that had gotten a bit munchy on us. I had to guess they'd recovered and had gone back out onto the streets. Or something. Having never met them before, I had no clue how they worked, and somehow didn't feel too much curiosity about it. Being on the receiving end of a bite was more than enough information.

Nick yawned, leaning against me, shutting his eyes. I had to agree.

Paige was back after twenty minutes. She smiled a tense smile. "All arranged. Cassandra has a contact who got her an appointment, Aaron will go with her, and then they'll meet us there."

"Where?"

"Miami." Her eyes met with Lucas's eyes for a moment. I wasn't sure why.

"Right under my father's nose?" He breathed out slowly.

"Best way to keep something hidden is hide it in plain sight. We have to get going now then. You and me." Clayton was already heading out the door. No more waiting. I was only out the door by the time he got to the car.

I hurried after him, the backpack in hand, "Wait..."

He swung around, glaring at me, hand on the car door. "Yes?"

"The triplet's birthday... the twins... Matt. I _can't_ go rushing off like this."

Clayton didn't answer for a moment. Then he stepped closer. He was angry, the expression actually scaring me, suddenly his height a threatening thing rather than an amusing thing. "You'd eat cake right now? After what he did to you?"

"It's not that. It's just that they were hysterical. If I'm not here tomorrow..."

"Elena might be being raped right now." The words slapped me hard across the head, Clayton's voice low suddenly, dangerous. There was no empathy. Nothing. Just that low warning growl, the older stronger wolf ready to discipline and hurt the disobedient younger one. "Your alpha. The triplets can cope. Matt can cope. We have to go _now_."

And he was right. I knew it, even if I knew it was going to scare them, and Matt...I swore, dropping my eyes, giving in. Submission to him. He was in charge and I had to do what he said. "You're right. Sorry. I would never let Elena go through that. We should go."

Clayton backed off, when he was satisfied I agreed, and glanced over to where Paige and Lucas were coming over at a near-run. "Where do you two think you're going?"

"With you. Unless you've suddenly learnt how to do magic." Paige replied, meeting his eyes with a cool expression.

"Get in the car." He didn't answer her, just ordered me, and I got in. Paige and Lucas got in the back in a hurry, as Clayton was already pulling out, only to skid to a halt as Nick jumped in front of the car. Clayton growled, threatened to run him over if he didn't get out of the way, and tried to go past him as Nick went to the side.

Nick grabbed the door handle, opened it, and flung himself inside as Clayton sped off down the driveway.

"What do you think you're doing?" I glanced back at him, annoyed, he could have been hurt by that.

He crossed his arms. "I'm coming. Trying to leave me there asleep." He didn't seem annoyed though, just amused, and winked at me.

Clayton didn't tell him off either. We took off, leaving the house behind, and headed away.

The five of us booked a flight to Miami early that morning, four hours away, and as the airport wasn't open till five, we found ourselves waiting outside anyway. Clayton paced up and down in the darkness, his frustration with this helpless situation showing, and by then Aaron and Cassandra were already arriving in Miami.

They agreed to meet us after the treatment and were gone for a while. I leaned against Nick in the dark, yawning, the two of us half dozing as we sat beside the car and leaned against it. Lucas and Paige were doing more or less the same thing, speaking in low soft voices, though it seemed to me like they were still in 'switched on business mode' compared to us. We were just sleepy.

I watched Clayton pace up and down in the darkness. Finally he vanished for a while, and I smelt the smell of wolf increase a slight bit from his scent on the wind, knowing he'd finally had to change and deal with the anxiety that was building in him. Nick slid up higher too when I told him softly. He couldn't smell him or hear him like I could.

"Just keep a nose on him. He should be okay." He murmured, eyes trying to see into the darkness where Clayton had vanished, some alertness returning.

I did just that- kept a nose on him- and for an hour he paced through the dark bush near the highway, the smell of rabbit blood at one point, before he returned to the car and sat down beside us, muscles less tense, but the deep anxiety still there. It was sated for a little while, that was all. When I slid my free arm over his shoulder, slowly just in case he rejected it, Clayton didn't. To Paige's amazement he leaned against me, shutting his eyes as well, the pack thing equally as comforting right now as a sedative. But he did open one eye, shooting her a look, which made her flush and glance away. I nudged him.

"Be nice."

He shrugged, shut his eyes again, but didn't sleep. Just sat there on the other side, Nick standing to pace.

"I've got an address." Paige called, softly, finally.

"Write it down." Clayton ordered, without raising his head, but his shoulder muscles tensed under my arm. "Anne, check it on your phone."

My phone was dead, I remembered, but Nick tossed me his and I worked on finding the address. It was outside Miami. Clayton had me save the search before he relaxed.

"So, do we barge in, or what?"

"You use that spell to call him out." Lucas came to sit closer. "You picture how it looks in your mind, the leash, and picture it getting solid... then you order him. We don't want to take on a factory full of who knows what."

"Treated supernaturals who are keen to show off their strength?" I muttered.

"Exactly." Lucas nodded. "We'll avoid that and meet with Aaron and Cassandra in his hotel room after."

There wasn't much else to say. We waited and headed into the airport when it was time, backpacks all we had or needed, getting onto the early morning plane with a handful of humans who looked as bleary eyed as we did.

Miami. I stared at it out of the plane as we dipped down, realising this had been where we'd been for the past week, and suddenly realised I should probably get to know these stupid American cities so I knew where I was.

Nick hired a car for us, a nice dark windowed one, a four wheel drive with some spare seats- we fully intended on not going anywhere without Elena, and after glancing at me, asked them to put a couple of baby seats in the trunk for later. Just in case.

I knew our priority right now was Elena but I couldn't help it. I had to think about a _lot_ of priorities. If Clayton's twins were here he'd be equally as obsessive, I was sure, and maybe he'd understand when Elena was safe and his instincts weren't screaming in his ear to get her to safety and rip apart the threat. If we could safely get the twins then I wasn't going to pass it up.

We drove in silence, the early morning light starting to come with the dawn, and came to a tree lined factory after half an hour, some distance out of the city, a building so normal looking that I wasn't sure for a second that it was the right place. The ocean was out the back of it, several boats tied up ,and I wondered if maybe they picked people up. Clayton breathed in sharply though as he recognised someone. I saw him too. One of the mutts from the factory. He went into the office with someone else, a teenage boy, and I wondered if it was his son.

"Try it."

I tried it. The second I tried to touch that 'leash', the strings, I felt bile rise in my throat. But I also felt something else. Distance. He wasn't here. He was closer than he had been in Stonehaven, I could almost be sure he was in the city, but he wasn't in the building. I tried it anyway.

"Be specific." Lucas tried to encourage me. "Say it out loud. If he's within fifty feet he'll be compelled to do what you say."

"Come out to the car quietly with Clayton in the driver's seat with Elena and don't move when you get here." Nothing. He wasn't here. I turned around, stomach churning from the sick sense this spell gave me, and shook my head. "He's not here. I don't feel him here."

"Okay. We'll head to the hotel and I'll call my father from there." Lucas nodded.

Clayton pulled away again.

Aaron and Cassandra were waiting in the hotel when we arrived and showed us upstairs. As soon as we were inside, Aaron turned on me.

"I had to say sorry."

"Sorry?"

"For biting you. I don't bite healthy people but I ...wasn't thinking straight. I don't behave like that normally." He tried to smile, an awkward smile. "So sorry."

"No problem. I'm glad you're okay."

"We are trying." Cassandra spoke up, softly, a shrug. She fixed Clayton with an amused look as he didn't greet her, only Aaron. "Hello, Clayton. Elena gone again?"

His lip curled up a fraction, as if he was tempted to bare his teeth, but he didn't. Instead he crossed his arms. "Well?"

"It's an injection. They don't let you do much, they strap you down, it makes you convulse for a few minutes, then suddenly you're as good as new. Then they make a new appointment in a week's time. It's a busy place." Aaron sat on the bed as he spoke. "Cassandra tested it out before you arrived."

He didn't look exactly happy about it, or about her, but he was tolerating her. I wondered what was going on with them. Or between them? Who knew.

"How did it affect you? The disease?" I asked .

"We were able to bite and sedate but they would remember us. You should not have remembered Aaron's bite. Our saliva holds a sedative and creates amnesia in our prey but the disease took away the amnesia and the charm. A slight problem for feeding there." Cassandra explained, a faint accent in her voice. "We coped. There are human clubs with people who want to be bitten."

"They know?" Lucas stiffened.

"No. It is fashionable for young men and women to have their canines filed down. They dress in black, go to these clubs, and bite each other." She rolled her eyes as she said it. "But it's become a popular place for the real vampires to find willing donors."

"How much did they ask?" Paige spoke up.

"Three thousand dollars per treatment for a vampire. Five hundred for a werewolf. There are half treatments too, that only give half back, for a discounted price. We require a larger amount, I heard the nurse tell me, so it costs us more." Aaron added, "Or they think that because we're immortal we have more money."

Three thousand dollars. I exhaled slowly, shaking my head, that amount of cash... and they'd pay it too. Five hundred and the mutts would be hooked. No wonder why they tried to rob Nick and Clayton.

"They also offer loans. Payment schemes. First time discounts. They have people hooked." Aaron added, softly. "People on contracts. It's pretty nasty stuff. I'll get breakfast for everyone."

We went quiet as Aaron called room service and Lucas called Benicio and let him know. He seemed to know already, apparently, and had a car sent for us after we'd eaten breakfast. We'd be going to Demetruis's mother's house. It was possible he was hiding there- the road in was being watched but there was water access too.

Breakfast arrived and we ate hurriedly. Aaron and Cassandra weren't coming, she vanished into her own room after a while, and Clayton just paced up and down. Five minutes and we were off again, in a different car, driving through the city to a different place.

Miami had islands. It was interesting to see- these islands, long bridges, and it was on one of those islands that we ended up. The car made its way across the water and we ended up on a tiny island. The house looked Spanish, a long Spanish building that was probably better described as a 'mansion' instead of a 'house, with tight security and a waterfront pier hidden away probably behind the house. I wasn't fooling myself- a place like this would cost a lot of money. According to Benicio, it had security as tight as the Cortez building, complete with half-demon and sorcerer guards and a security system that was more state of the art than I knew what to do with. Benicio was already there waiting, security with him, and apparently this was not common. I doubted he took so much personal interest in things like this.

"We'll make another attempt before you expose yourself as alive." Benicio informed us, eyes going to me and Lucas. "Just in case he runs. Try it while I inform her I'm here." Benicio vanished again and Clayton moved the window back up.

"You can think or say it. It's up to you." Lucas said from the back. "I don't know which will work. Try both."

"This magic thing feels too much like cheating." I muttered. And it made me feel physically ill. "Can't we just barge in?"

That actually got a sound from Clayton that might have been amusement.

"No. We should be delicate." Lucas' lips twitched slightly.

I sighed, shut my eyes, and tried to focus on making the 'strings' stronger. It was surprisingly easy, as if he was inside that house, I could almost, almost pick him out. Vomit welled back up, and I felt Nick's hand grasp mine, maybe he could see how uncomfortable it was to do. I didn't know.

He was behind the house. I tried it, mentally, ordering him. It was so strange, my hands flexed, I just wanted to grab him and drag him here. Maybe that was the werewolf thing. I wasn't like this before the bite, or was I? Who knew. This magic bullshit felt so wrong.

"It feels wrong." I muttered. "Like ...I don't know. Like I'm trying to drink off milk and my stomach's rejecting it. Everything in me says this is _wrong_."

"You're not born to do magic. It probably would feel wrong." Paige said softly. It was the first words she'd spoken since earlier. "Try it out loud. Be specific. Which car, who he's coming out here to, and what he'll do."

Lucas added, "Don't worry about the twins. We will get them out but they'll complicate it if he has to carry them out _and_ take Elena out."

I growled softly at that, shut my eyes, but Lucas was right. Shit. Even I struggle to carry two babies without assistance sometimes. I had to trust that Benicio could talk to the mother. I didn't know if I did trust him, that was the problem.

I flushed, embarrassed now, aware of their attention on me. I tried to organise the words in my head "Get your ass out to the dark blue car with Clayton in the driver's seat and get in the back with them and _don't_ _move_."

"And bring Elena." Clayton muttered.

"Get your ass out to the dark blue car with Clayton in the driver's seat with Elena and get in the back with them and _don't_ _move_." I was grasping at the 'off milk' strings, trying to put all my anger into it, and I felt something. Resistance, annoyance, was that it? But it worked. It felt like the leash tugged hard and the other end had no choice in the matter. "I think I can feel him."

"If he's close enough then you can." Paige and Lucas were reaching back into the back of the car to open the two seats back there, so they could get out of the way. "You have to wait there now. If he's coming, he'll need to see you there."

Clayton nodded and waited. His hands clenched and unclenched the wheel.

I knew Demetruis was coming. I knew it. My eyes snapped to his, like I was energetically drawn in his direction.

We saw him, saw the guards watch him confused, and he was so angry. His face was red with rage, an emotion I'd never seen, as his body did something he wasn't doing. He vanished inside the house, and Clayton sat up.

"Elena." Paige reminded him.

He was gone a few minutes as the tension in the car rose. I held my breath...

And then he was back, a limp body over one shoulder, long silvery hair swinging as she was carelessly swung side to side. It was deliberate too. We watched him, all of us holding our breath as he made his way down the driveway, red and purple bruises around her ankles and wrists showing that she'd clearly been tied down. When her head hit the edge of the brick letterbox Clayton growled and before we could stop him, flung himself out of the car.

I felt it- the order shattered, now that Clayton wasn't in the driver's seat, Demetruis freed of it, and he barked an order to the guards. Paige was leaping out of the car, Benicio raising his hands. I saw flames leap at Clayton, Demetruis jumping back, the unconscious Elena swung carelessly into a guard's arms.

Clayton got knocked back as he reached the gate, knocked back by such a hard force that he didn't move, and Demetruis focused on the car. There was a spell, I saw it deflected by Paige, Benicio right beside her, the two of them at the front of the car. He was willing to kill us this time. No fucking around, even if Benicio Cortez was right there.

I jumped out as he was about to vanish inside, behind the guards, an old woman in a robe yelling orders in Greek from the window.

"Stop moving and stay still." The words hung in the air, heavy in the sounds of yelling and explosion, hung between the two of us as if I'd hooked a rope onto him.

Demetruis froze. He stared at me with a mixture of rage and fury. But he couldn't move. It was such a simple order and impossible for him to find a way out of. It weighted us both down. I felt something strike the side of my head, pain exploding throughout it, a guard attacking me, and let Paige and Nick take care of him. My focus was fixed on the older man.

"Stay still and tell them to stop attacking." I said the words, though they were drowned out by the sound of the fighting around us, and yet somehow... I didn't see that anymore. I saw him alone. It was tunnel vision all over again, just him and me.

Demetruis's mouth opened as he ordered and the guards stopped, glancing back, one of them about to go past him into the house.

"Stop him and bring Elena to me safely."

He did it, even though I knew he hated it, lifting her up with a lot more care now than he had earlier.

"You're supposed to be dead." He growled, and I saw it, the wolf there. The rage. Demetruis dropped her on the ground beside me as Paige moved to check Clayton. He was groaning, struggling to stand up, blood pouring down the side of his face. Magic against a werewolf. It didn't usually end well.

"Stay _still_." I told Demetruis, narrowing my eyes, and Nick hopped out with Lucas.

"You can't keep me. I've done nothing wrong. I didn't even know she was in the house." He spat, frozen while they bound him up, Lucas careful to keep his hands apart. "I've broken no laws. You attacked my mother's house."

I knelt down as they forced him to stay still, carefully untangling Elena's arms from where they'd fallen awkwardly under her, cringing at the sight of her. There was no smell or sign that he'd hurt her in the way that Clay was afraid of but I didn't know. I smelt her blood as I tried to lift her up, my own head pounding, and Nick came over to check it as I gently held her.

"We'll find that out." Benicio spoke smoothly from behind him. He didn't touch him. "Attempted murder isn't something we ignore."

"That wasn't me." He growled.

"We'll take him for questioning." Benicio looked at me and I saw it- there was no chance of arguing, They'd take him and I had no say in that. A van was already backing up. "Would you like a medic for your Alpha?"

"Can you get us back to Stonehaven quickly?" Lucas asked from behind me. "We might not want to stay in this city."

"Private jet is already waiting." Benicio Cortez turned and hopped into a waiting car. "Clean up this mess."

"She should heal fine. How's Clayton?" I hoped I was right. It was strange- they were all looking at me for answers, even Nick.

Clayton was struggling to stand, Nick going over to help, and while he was unsteady, but his eyes were fixed on Elena. "Clayton's walking. Let's get her home."

There was a commotion from the inside. The old woman was rushing out in a robe, fury on her face as she saw her son driven away. Benicio was already gone, everyone leaving, the guards left to face her wraith. For a little old lady she had one hell of a screaming voice. I could see them cringe.

She turned, and faced me, and I saw it. Hatred. So much hatred there. The woman spat on the ground, turned, and headed inside. Benicio Cortez would have to deal with her. I doubted she'd listen to my pleas for the twins.

"We have to go." Lcuas touched my arm gently.

"My twins." I probably didn't need to remind him. I was tempted to go after her anyway, or smash my way in and grab them, or ...

Lucas frowned. "I'm sorry. I know you want them... but she won't let you in. They'll attack you if you tresspass and we can't protect you too."

I felt myself pulled back by Nick, heart breaking as I saw the old woman come to the window with one of the babies, as if she was deliberately rubbing it in my face. No... there was no 'as if'. She _was_. Nick growled softly and tensed, but we got in the car, my eyes shutting. Lucas and Paige were in the front now, the four of us in the back seat and crowded in, Nick and myself on either side of Elena and Clayton.

The drive back stretched out, Elena drugged out of her head I guessed, but she seemed uninjured. She'd probably been too dangerous to be allowed to be concious. The less I touched those 'strings' the less wrong I felt. They faded back into some area of my subconsciousness and I sighed with relief. But the grief at the twins, at not having them, like we hadn't really won anything in the end. We'd gotten Elena back, which was a win, but not the twins. It was only half finished as far as I was concerned.

"Sure she's not a ...spell? Illusion?" I asked, Nick's hands tightening on the wheel now, his eyes going back to Elena.

"She's here." Paige reassured us. She was on the other side of Elena, Clayton trying to keep awake, bent over her, his arms around her as if that'd protect her.

Of course she was. If this was an illusion they'd have thrown the babies in for good measure. They probably knew by now how much I wanted them.

"He's drugged her. Coward can't even face her." Clayton growled, his growl sluggish, eyes shutting as he inhaled slowly, his nose brushing against her hair.

I breathed out slowly, shutting my eyes, Nick's hand across the back of the back seat so he could touch me again. He was trying to comfort me.

"Doesn't solve the other problems, but yes. He wasn't expecting you to survive that." Paige agreed. She shut her eyes. "You should have seen it. No one should have survived it."

"But we did." Lucas reminded her, reaching across, touching her shoulder.

She went quiet, reaching up to touch his hand, not answering.

A small plane was waiting for us when we got there, complete with stretcher for Elena, Nick helping Clayton struggle onto the plane. I stood on the tarmac, staring at the car, torn. I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay and find them. It wasn't done, I hadn't finished this, but...

"Come on." Nick's hand closed around mine gently. I let him lead me onto the plane.

When I got on Lucas was already on the phone to his father. He spoke softly and quickly before he hung up and glanced at me. "His mother's causing a lot of trouble over this. He's handling it though. Your twins are there, she's just refusing to let anyone near them."

I wasn't sure what to think of that. "Can't we snatch them?"

"We probably won't need to. Just give him a few hours. She's influential... the politics are blocking him now." After a while, Lucas added quieter, "And worst comes to worst, we can force her legally. I'll assist you."

I didn't answer, just gazed out of the window of the small plane, aware that he'd already promised I'd have them by now. Nick made me turn and he cleaned the wound on my head and down my arm, where something had sliced, though it wasn't that bad. Not really. I'd barely been touched by the guard.

Clayton was asleep again, his head injury not a small one, and Nick checked it out as we lowered down for the smaller airport near Stonehaven.

"How bad?"

"We'll get Jeremy to look at it." He glanced at me, lips tightening, and I suspected it wasn't good. But Clayton had been through a lot. He'd manage.

Never the less, the drive from the airport in the car we'd left there was not fast, and I got more anxious as Clayton remained asleep. With Elena there, he should have been wide awake, probably watching out for threats or something. He lay beside her, both fast asleep, both pale. But they were calm, their hands clutching each other hard, so they were at least subconsciously aware of each other.

I couldn't believe it though as we pulled into Stonehaven. The retrieval had been so fast and ...sort of smooth... except that I'd again lost the twins... and we were home in time for dinner. Jeremy seemed stunned too. He lifted her up as easily as if he was still full strength, while I lifted Clayton up, the two of them carried upstairs into their bedroom. The best place. It was their territory.

I had to keep asking Lucas or Paige to check for spells. Nothing. They reassured me that it was real, over and over, and that it had been easy because I had him in 'thrall'. Or something. Without me there, apparently he could have stayed there for weeks while Benicio went through all the diplomatic and political bull he needed to do just to get into her property.

We sat there on either side. Nick with Elena, me with Clayton, I held an icepack to the back of his head where it'd hit the road pretty hard. Elena was fighting the drugs, eyes opening and shutting, struggling against Nick. Then she'd inhale, sigh, and relax. Kate and Logan refused to be taken away. They sat on the bed with their parents, waiting, taking over icepack duty for me when I had to go out to get food for all of us.

It was Elena who woke first, out of the two, and Clayton wasn't far behind her when she started to speak to him softly, voice rough, as if just her voice was enough to provoke his head to heal faster. Nick kissed her, ignoring my soft playful shove, so relieved to see her back gain.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore." She grimaced, touching her head, Clayton rubbing his head as he fought the urge to go back to sleep.

"Get Jer to check her out." Clayton ordered, or tried to, but the words made him cringe.

I got up and headed for Jeremy, who was quick, but Elena shrugged him off, trying to gulp down water that I offered.

"I just feel groggy and sore. I'm fine. Check Clayton." Elena's eyes went over the big red swollen bit on his head, dried blood down his face and neck.

I filled her in on what'd happened but she was falling asleep, struggling, and she barely heard a word I'd said. Eventually Jeremy suggested we all go sleep. Tomorrow was the triplet's birthday.

That made me jump, I'd forgotten that somehow. I was still upset over the twins. The idea of celebrating any kind of birthday right now felt almost beyond me. I didn't want to cook, not really, the idea of take out suddenly very very attractive.

We headed out of the room and downstairs when Jeremy shooed us all out, kids included, Jeremy promising to keep an eye on both of them overnight, and to worry about tomorrow's food. We'd need a lot more if there was another party. He came with us downstairs.

"I need to buy stuff to cook with." I realised. "I think."

"Lillian wants to make their cake. You don't need to worry about it." Jeremy told me softly as we headed downstairs. "She and Antonio took the triplets into town today to stock up."

I sighed in relief and got into the car. One less problem. He smiled a tense smile, leaning over, hugging me. "Get some rest. You did good today."

"Not really. I didn't get the twins." I said it, finally, and Jeremy's arms tightened then, harder.

"Not yet. You got Elena though. It's a start. Soon as she's awake she'll probably be keen to get them back as much as you are. Get some rest tonight and we'll see you in the morning, I'll bring everyone over. Savannah and Adam are at Forestwatch tonight, Paige and Lucas here, so focus on resting and reassuring those babies you're safe." Jeremy stood back after a few more minutes of us there, the door open, his smell and reassuring calmness washing over me.

Nick slid into the driver's seat and we took off, slowly, glancing back at the house. Jeremy was already heading inside.

"You okay?" He asked, reaching out to squeeze my hand.

"I don't know." I admitted and he sighed softly. It was bothering him too, I realised, that he hadn't been able to get them. So I changed the subject to try and ease his guilt. "Do you think our capture of him was too easy?"

"You caught him off guard and he's probably sitting in a cell making plans to catch up." Nick didn't speak for the rest of the quick drive, hand stubbornly holding onto mine as long as it could, and we pulled up to chaos.

No fire in the house, nothing like that, but I could see Savannah trying to calm down toddlers. Nick and I jumped out as they refused to go to bed, demanding to see us, really not impressed by our vanishing act again.

She looked like she was so tired she could cry, Adam doing his best to help her convince them to go to bed, and when she saw us she nearly fell over with relief. "Thank god. Tell them to go to bed."

The three toddlers gazed up at us, angry faces fading into angelic 'who, us?' faces, all three pairs of arms and legs trying to climb up. They were tired, I saw it straight away, all three with the rosy cheek look they got when they were beyond tired.

"They wanted you." Adam explained. He squeezed Savannah's arm gently. "We were hoping they'd pass out and we'd carry them to bed if they didn't settle soon."

Nick nodded a fraction and glanced around. "Where's Dad?"

"Took Lillian on a date." Adam informed us. "Tried to sneak out the back door but we spotted them."

Nick laughed, lifting up Lily, leaving me with Susie and Dominic. "Thank you for helping. We'll get them ready for bed."

"We _tried_." Savannah called as she collapsed onto the couch. I heard her swear as Adam joined her, both of them muttering something about werewolves and too many kids, the TV turning on. They'd probably pass out pretty soon too.

I was right about the toddlers being tired. Once we'd gotten them bathed, a quick bath in lukewarm water which was more about soothing them than really cleaning them, changed and in bed, they were already falling asleep in our arms, though they refused to lie down till Nick got a book out and we read it. As usual I was amazed, amazed that they had a favourite book, and that they knew that they could bribe us.

We fell asleep almost as we read, the toddlers curling up together in their heap, the cool air from the fan lulling them to sleep in the warm night. Then we crawled into our own bed, when I'd made sure Matt was asleep, falling asleep in front of our own fan, not even bothering to undress this time.

I woke up, Nick thrashing beside me, and groaned softly. When I lifted my head up, his eyes were moving from side to side under his lashes, thrashing, face twisted with grief and rage all over again. It was the same expression from the nightclub.

I shook him, Nick's eyes flying open, hands flying up to shove me back. They froze midway, his eyes confused for just a moment, before he froze and groaned softly, arms grabbing me close to him, his breathing fast.

"What was it?" I knew. I knew from the expression on his face as he had his nightmare, what it was, but I asked anyway, sliding a leg across him.

"Nothing." He tried to smile as I gazed down at him. "Nothing. Hi."

"_Nick_."

"It was the funeral. I thought you were dead again."

I groaned then, flopping my head onto his shoulder, Nick's trembling body relaxing. "Sorry."

Nick didn't answer. He stroked my back, while I shifted my body onto his, lying on him, a long sigh finally releasing when I settled there. "It's okay. We're alive."

"Yeah. We are." I agreed. I sat back, tugging my clothing off, and undressed him. Not for sex, just ...we were dressed and he always slept better when he was naked. When we were undressed, I crawled back in beside him, Nick's skin against mine while he snuggled against me, his sweat drying and heart rate slowing. Only when I was sure he'd fallen asleep again, without any bad dreams, did I let myself slip into sleep as well.

When I woke, Nick was dressing, a finger against his lips when he caught sight of me awake.

"Wha-" I whispered and he shook his head.

"The beds we picked from Ikea are downstairs. We're going to make them and wrap them before the army of toddlers stirs." He whispered and grinned, sliding closer, kissing my hair.

"The beds we picked?" I blinked, sleepily, trying to recall this. We'd looked at beds together on their website, liked a few, but had we picked them? I had this vague idea that we probably hadn't. But with him looking so pleased, I didn't tell him off or remind him that I hadn't actually picked anything. "Have fun."

He vanished through the bedroom door and I shut my eyes.

I only lay there for five minutes before I couldn't take the curioisty about these mysterious beds. A quick shower, I washed dried blood off my skin I'd forgot was there, saw the wound was already healing, before heading downstairs. Reece and Nick were bent over a frame, one bed already done and covered with wrapping paper somehow... several rolls, from the looks of it... and the other one in a box still.

It wasnt' a bad one. Pine beds with guard rails, detachable ones, and they had a blue and white cat and dog at the end. I wasn't sure how we'd fit all three beds in- it'd be a bit of a squeeze- but it was again a reminded that they were really growing up already. The cribs would be free soon.

I flopped down, watching, yawning as I tried to not think about the twins. They'd be great for those cribs. One for them and we could convert those things into sofas apparently. So the three of them would be useful somewhere. Nick threw wrapping paper at me and I went to wrap other things we'd already ordered for them. A play kitchen, plushie vegetables, soft toys of different kinds, finger puppets, a couple of art easels which I would have to keep outside from the way the toddlers messed up everything around them, a mirror with a big plushie crocodile around it, half of this stuff having been bought when they were _born_. Nick had kept them in the shed all this time. They had so many toys already but when it came to those three, he was obsessed with making them happy. There was even a tiny slide.

"We better give them our room." I joked, trying to wrap it up, as Nick and Reece started to cover the second bed.

"Maybe." Nick actually seemed to think that over seriously. "It's too big for us."

It was, really, we didn't need all that space. I hesitated and asked, "You want to move bedrooms?"

"If you do. We can swap with them." He shrugged. "I don't need a lot of space."

Not when he spent half his time in New York working, I suspected, and nodded. "Okay, we'll move."

Lillian came down and she helped me wrap the last of it up, piling it in one corner, while the two men got the last bed done and wrapped. It was huge- the presents took up half the living room in the end- and I stood back and shook my head slowly.

"I don't know where we'll put it when they've unwrapped it." I admitted.

"We'll figure a way out." Nick came over to wrap an arm around my waist. "Love you."

I smiled, leaned against him, and shut my eyes. "Love you too. Want to cook?"

"Nope." He shook his head. "Want me to get something easy?"

I groaned, soft, and shook my head. Of course I did but I didn't want to feed them crap all the time. They needed real food sometimes. "I better cook."

"We bought some things yesterday." Lillian reminded us from nearby as she finished a present off and stacked it with the others. We cringed as a few parcels fell and rolled around, hoping they weren't breakable, but we just nudged them back into place with the rest.

The cakes were going to be three bears today. They were easy to cook, looked good, and I sent Nick and Reece to the shop to get the last of what we needed just before the toddlers woke up and stood at the top of the staircase, trying to get past the toddler gate, calling for us.

Lillian let them down and they raced into the kitchen one after the other. She fed them while I worked on the cakes themselves, and while they were upset and looking for Nick, as long as I was within sight, they seemed relaxed enough.

Jeremy came back before Nick did, Lucas not far behind in his car, and I expected to see Elena jump out, full of energy and life. She didn't. Clayton wasn't either, he got out, looking just as fucked as she did, a bandage over the part of his head where they'd wounded him pretty well. It occurred to me as I watched him that they had tried to hit me in the same part of the head. They were blows designed to knock us out or kill us. The head could be equally good for either attack.

I went outside to help Jeremy, Elena smiling, but her legs were struggling to keep her up and I could see in her eyes that she was just barely hanging onto conciousness. She glanced past me to the windows.

"They're watching you." She said, softly, while I let her lean on my shoulder.

I didn't need to ask who. I could feel them, two pairs of blue eyes and one pair of brown eyes, could hear them calling me inside, and groaned as she laughed. "They're getting a little obsessive about me staying near them."

"It'll probably pass." Elena followed me inside, Clayton trying to help her, and she let me lower her onto the couch. "The twins did it to us sometimes when they were toddlers."

"All the time, darling." Clayton chuckled. The stress and anxiety was gone, his eyes fixed on her every move, every sag of her eyelashes as sleep tried to drag her back under, but there was still a tenseness there. I doubted he'd relax and let his guard down till he was certain she was back with us.

I wanted to ask her if they'd hurt her, if they'd done something fucking terrible, but it wasn't the time. All three babies were heading straight for her and gathering around her and Clayton with that adoration they had towards everyone in the pack. They asked Clayton about his owwie, if Elena wanted a nap- her eyes kept drooping as she fought the last traces of whatever they'd doped her up with- but when Clayton made a 'you can go, we're fine' gesture at me, I could go back to the kitchen to get the food ready. Jeremy was already in there, Antonio awake now, Savannah and Adam still missing upstairs.

Elena came in to sit in the kitchen after a few hours, as the food was being put into the oven and the cakes iced, probably relieved to get away from inquisitve toddler minds for a while. She rested on the chair against the kitchen table.

"Before you ask, I don't know." She saw my mouth open and cut me off. "The last thing I remember is the explosions, a lot of dreaming, a lot of fighting drugs in my dreams, then waking up here."

The answer should have been reassuring. It wasn't. I remembered that it'd taken me months to remember what'd happened to me in the garden, whatever drug they'd have given me affecting my memory, and I only felt more anxiety on her behalf. Elena looked relaxed and fine. I wondered if she was just putting it on for us.

"I wouldn't have asked till you knew." I sat down beside her and offered her a spoon covered in chocolate icing. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than last night. I might have a sleep this afternoon." She took it and licked the icing off. Elena caught my expression, sighed, and lowered her voice. "I know what you're worried about. If something happened, it did. I'm here, I'm not hurt, and I'm pissed off. Give me a few days and we'll get onto the problem."

I nodded, trying to accept what she said, as I smoothed the icing across the cake. "Did you agree to the offer?"

"I told him to fuck off, that I wasn't using my own children as bartering tools, that he had to come up with a better idea."

I knew she didn't mean to insult me, or hurt me, but I flinched. Elena seemed to realise what she'd said and reached out to touch my hand.

"You were trying to protect the pack. I'm sorry, I didn't mean you did."

"But I did." I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut, the fear for the twins rising up the second I'd acknowledged it was there.

"With good reason. You can't change what you agreed to. I might have thought about it if I hadn't seen how hard it was for you." She tried to reassure me. "You'll get those babies back and we'll deal with them when Clayton and myself are back to normal."

I nodded, grimcing slightly, trying to push my own axnieties. Now it wasn't the hospital that haunted me, it was that old woman, holding my baby, refusing to let me near them. Or her. I'd had her son taken away, I'd forced him away, and I knew the kind of grief a mother could feel. They were her grandchildren. She'd probably fight hard to make sure I didn't take them away from her as well. At least we got one thing right. Elena was home.

"Elena?"

She looked up from her spoon. "Yeah?"

"You should have a nap now. The lunch is pretty heavy. You might fall asleep at the table." I smiled weakly and she nodded, standing up. At least I could make sure she recovered as fast as possible.

"I'll be in the guest ..."

"Savannah and Adam are in there. Still. There's the daybed in the den, it should be quiet if you shut the door."

Elena nodded and headed away. Clayton came into the kitchen, his nostrils flaring, only pausing to dip a finger in the icing and then follow Elena's trail back out again.

I heard screams, tensing, but it was only the three older kids outside in the pool, racing at it, splashing in with crashes and yells and their usual good moods. Mum was home, for the twins, and I was home for Matt, so suddenly they were fine now.

We did presents before lunch, because the toddlers would be covered in food by the end, and watched as they tore into the paper. They apparently remembered Christmas and knew how this part worked. Antonio had gotten them bathers to swim in and some pool toys, to my mixed amusement and horror, reminding me that they had to learn to swim soon. _Now_ even. They were old enough to _swim_. Thankfully people mostly got them clothing, most of it larger than them, they'd probably seen how much stuff they had already. Clothing we could use. Toys were going to start falling out the windows soon. Jeremy had painted them a new painting, an incredible painting of the three of them with the two of us, Antonio, even Lillian and Matt there, a little red wolf cup stalking up behind Nick while Lillian sat next to Antonio's dark shape. It was complete with a dramatic summer's night behind us, fireflies a big full moon, Forestwatch in the distance through trees. Our entire family.

Nick put it up in the living room right then and there, stunned himself I thought, and came over to snuggle against my side as we took it in. It must have taken Jeremy a long time to get it done. All that were missing were the twins.

Jeremy murmured in my ear that he hadn't forgotten the twins, while the triplets played, and led me closer. He pointed them out- two tiny furry figures protected by my chest and head, tiny dark brown wolf cubs that were fast asleep and safe. It almost made me burst into tears to see that. Of course he wouldn't forget them. He'd just put them somewhere safe.

"It's too much." I stared at it. He was an incredible painter. "This must have taken you ages."

"Not really." Jeremy shrugged. "I like painting. It's peaceful... and with this pack, peace is hard to find sometimes." He smiled somewhat, glancing back at the triplets and the kids exploring the toys, their existence translating into _very loud voices. _

It seemed like a good idea to put the food out now, giving the adults a chance to retreat as we put food out on the table, some Aussie things mixed in. Antonio or Nick must have gotten them sent from Australia. Tim tams, Dick Smith stuff... even vegemite, to my amusement, even though only myself and Reece ate the stuff. At breakfast. Not at lunchtime and not during a party. But it might make for good sandwiches for dinner if we were too tired to do much else.

Food worked so well that even the kids were sleepy afterwards, we managed to get the toddlers to nap for an hour, so all got to rest for a little while before the three bears were set onto the three toddlers.

This was all nice, I was happy as I watched them attack the three candles with their renewed energy, but I was still thinking of the twins. It was impossible not to. Lucas would shake his head, whenever I went to ask, like I was being that predictable. I probably was.

He got the call after the cake and we headed into the study with Nick and Jeremy.

"My father can't convince her to let them go." Lucas said softly, as Jeremy shut the door. "But she's human and we do follow the laws of this land. So there's a possibility that we can send the police in to take the children. You're listed as their mother on the birth certificate."

I breathed out slowly, shutting my eyes, Nick's arm coming around my shoulder. "It's that easy?"

"Unless she can prove you're an unfit mother."

"I'm not an unfit mother." I scowled at the words.

Jeremy hesitated then, and all three of us stared at him, his face hardening. I felt my heart sink before he spoke. "You have a morphine addiction. It'll be with you for life."

"Yeah, but..." Oh fuck. He'd given me drugs. The bastard had reintroduced the drugs to me from the birth onwards. "He did that _on purpose_. He had them use that drug on purpose."

"Probably." Jeremy sat down beside me, a hand on my knee, and explained it to Lucas who listened calmly.

"That might make it more difficult." Lucas agreed, when he understood the situation, face tensing slightly. "I'll have to talk with my father and work on it."

He left us and I sat there, stunned, realising that again Demetruis had gotten another step ahead of me. Drug me up, in case something happened to him, and suddenly the custody might be awarded to his mother when that came out.

"I haven't touched them since I came back." I tried to say, Jeremy's hand squeezing my leg.

"We know." Nick reassured me, leaning against me. "Don't worry. We all know."

"I should have realised what he was trying to do... I should have..."

"No one expects you to know everything." Jeremy said softly. "You stopped again, which isn't easy, and you've stayed clean from the stuff. You know you're a fit mother, we all do."

I felt like it. I didn't want to tell them, neither of them, but suddenly the urge for the pain killer was growing again. I shut my eyes, leaning against Nick, trying to use his scent to replace it. Just thinking about it made the urge come back. "Let's eat cake. Or something. I can't think about it right now."

"Dad's getting them ready for their first swimming lesson. Want to come?" Nick hugged me closer.

That snapped me out of it and I stared at him, trying to hear what was going on beyond the room, beyond the calming sound of Jeremy and Nick's lungs and heart, hearing laugher and squeals upstairs. Antonio and Lillian were getting them ready for the pool.

"Yes!"

Nick stood up, grinning a little more now, and we hurried upstairs to change as fast as we could. We changed and went back downstairs as Antonio was leading the triplets into the pool, Lillian waiting in the water, Reece there. A small army of adults, in other words, and it looked almost like a ceremony. The triplets in their little inflatable lifejackets, complete with frogs, glancing back at us and waving.

Nick was already taking photos, I realised, and he went to sit beside the pool with the little waterproof camera while I slid into the water. I was sure some of those shots were less directed at the toddlers and more at my bikini top but he gave me an angelic look when I shot a look at him.

Antonio handed me an excited Dominic, who'd apparently claimed me, then slid into the water with Susie while Lily and Lillian floated around. They loved it. It was the most exciting thing for them, floating around with us, and Antonio started their swimming lesson as we knelt in the shallow water with them. Matt, Logan and Kate were quick to join in, demonstrating how to kick legs, how to float, and while the toddlers weren't exactly getting it yet... all three of them were eager to try.

Nick jumped in with the camera and took photos still, an arm around me, probably knowing how upset I was still about the twins. But one look at Dominic, Lily and Susie, trying to kick their feet, trying to float from one adult to the other in their life vests, it cheered me up _a lot_. The most they'd done was the little paddle pool thing, not exactly the equivalent to the big kid pool, and now they were with the rest of the pack in the pool.

It was an exciting thing to see.

Reece and Matt went bright red after a few hours of this. Funnily enough, with Nick's olive skintone and my burn resistant skin, the toddlers did _not_ burn. They started to go a bit browner, reminding me we had to do the sunscreen thing, but they didn't burn like Reece or Matt did. Or Logan or Kate, I realised, as I watched the older twins get out with bright pink shoulders and Elena reminding them that they should have worn sunscreen as she poked the sore spots.

They were exhausted and so happy with themselves after, falling asleep even as they tried to eat their dinner, Lily telling us all she was now a frog. Then she fell asleep, singing a song she made up herself about frogs, curled up against my chest, her damp curls tucked in under my head.

"I can't believe they're old enough to swim and make up songs." I muttered to Nick, Dominic's head on one of his legs, Susie still awake and following her grandpa around the house.

"I know." He stared at his sleepy son like he was still shocked to find him there. "It was only three years ago when Lily burst out of your body like a little alien."

"Burst is probably the wrong term." I muttered, dryly. "Kicked, scratched and tore her way out."

He laughed at that. "That then." Nick's amusement faded then, his hand reaching across to grasp mine. "Did you give birth to the twins?"

I realised I hadn't told him how it'd happened, exactly, and shook my head. "He had surgeons to cut them out, they did plastic surgery on me, he ...was very helpful." He had treated me okay, more or less, during the pregnancy. And he hadn't needed to get the plastic surgeons. That other part, I had to admit, confused me a little. Why would he care how I looked after? Was it just gratitude for the twins?

"I wondered why your body is recovering faster this time." Nick admitted, his hand brushing against my stomach. "Strange of him to do that though."

It was really strange. I shrugged, trying to act as if it wasn't anything, trying to remember that he'd also given me morphine seconds later. Was it an attempt to get me on his side more? For the attempt to get Elena to agree to his next bright idea? I wasn't sure. Maybe that _was_ it.

No answers came to me though, not about that, or about what we could do about the twins. By night we were all so buggered that Jeremy decided they'd collapse here for the night. Couches, blow up mattresses, we were so used to this sometimes happening that it only took a few minutes and an electric air pump to get it up and get everyone's beds ready.

I collapsed into bed, Nick climbing on top of me to strip me, and I then pushed him dwon so I could help him out. No fun times from the pages of his kama sutra book, we were falling asleep already, so we collapsed and let ourselves pass out.

Bad dreams dogged me again now, dreams about the twins, and I woke several times in the middle of an anxiety attack, the feeling of Nick's hands stroking across my aching back muscles, telling me to go back to sleep, he wasn't tired yet. The third time I woke it was sudden, and slid over to check Nick. No, he was all right, sleeping peacefully, a book dropped onto the floor from his hands. But something had woken me.

I got up, pulled on some clothing and went into the hallway. The light was on downstairs and I smelt Elena down there, sitting in the kitchen, her soft breathing the only indication that she was awake and not asleep.

She glanced up at me, a cup of camomile tea in her hands, and smiled tiredly at me. Elena wasn't bawling her eyes out but I sensed she was stressed out.

"You can't sleep?"

"Guess I've slept too much. This stuff is helping a little." She yawned a fraction, but her shoulders remained tense, and patted the seat beside her. "You can't?"

"Bad dreams. That's a good idea." I got my own cup of it and sat down beside her.

We remained quiet for a long time, hearing the faint patter of rain on the roof and the cars outside, barely loud enough for either of us to hear. I yawned, leaned forward to sniff the tea and...

Realised exactly what was wrong. What had woken me up.

Bugger. I was back to human senses. Whatever he'd given me had just stopped. Elena glanced at me.

"I think his cure just stopped working." I muttered.

"It isn't a cure?" She seemed surprised by that. Sat up straighter, Alpha hat back on, and I wished I'd left it for the morning. "What did you find out?"

Elena seemed awake enough so I told her about the treatments, the costs that we'd been given, and that apparently he wasn't offering genuine cures. She listened carefully, grabbing the notepad and pens from one of the kitchen drawers, and made notes as I explained it. Yep, she was back all right, eyes clear.

I reached out to touch her arm, relieved to see some fight in her back now, and she smiled and squeezed my hand. Her smile was still tense, still stiff, but it was the best she had and I wasn't going to complain about that.

"Guess I have to put up with it." I tried to joke. Honestly while it had been devastating the first time, the missing twins was more upsetting than this.

"It's an interesting thing that our treatment lasts longer than the one he's offering. I wonder if that was intentional." She murmured softly. "But he gave us what we needed to make more, and we've got a few injections left, so I'll get one for you tomorrow."

"What was it like?" I had no memory of my 'treatment'. But suddenly it seemed that my 'trade' had worked somewhat. The bitten wolves in the pack would at least continue to be safe, and protect the rest till we got something for them.

"Agony. A few minutes of thrashing and agony then you're better than fine. You'll have to lie on the couch till it's over to protect your head." She yawned a fraction more but seemed no more sleepy than she had when I got up. "When does this work?"

"It's not a pill so it takes a little while." I admitted. That was why I liked it- it wasn't a pill, it wasn't chemicals my body disliked, it was a gentle shove instead of a drop into sleep. "Maybe you're right, you've just slept too much."

She stood up. "Want to come for a walk?"

I nodded and we went outside into the dark, the gentle rain barely touching us before it evaporated on warm skin, the ground damp under our bare feet. Little sparkles and reflections came from the trees around us, catching the light from the kitchen, the moon overhead now, and Elena tried to stretch.

I glanced at her and wondered if there was another reason she was struggling to sleep. "It's probably been a while since you changed."

"I know but I was trying to hold it off." She grimaced a little though. "Have my first run at Stonehaven with Clay."

"You can walk there from here. Want me to wake Clayton?" I imagined he was probably asleep.

"No need." A grumble came from behind us, the soft thump thump of hurrying feet, and Clayton caught onto Elena with a gentle hug. "Not tired?"

"Not really. Feel like a run?" She glanced back at him as he yawned, concern probably over his head, but he just nodded and stretched.

"Always." His head ducked down to hers, the two of them meeting in a rare embrace in front of me, and then Clayton swung his head towards me. "You too?"

"Not tonight." I smiled a little. I did want to go for a run, sort of, but I didn't want to get in their way. It was their first one together since she'd come back. "I'm going to go eat some cake and try and sleep again."

"All right. Come on, darling." He moved ahead of her, hand in hers, the two of them vanishing into the darkness together.

I went back to the house and slipped inside. Checked the living room, the other doors, the windows, a strange obsession with needing to protect my kids and make sure I could sleep while they were safe... kind of absurd, when the house was full of pack... and then nearly tripped over Clayton's legs. On the ground in the den.

He grabbed me as I fell, rolling over, grumbling as an arm shielded head from coffee table. Clayton's voice was filled with his heavy accent in his deep sleep, blinking sleepily at me,as if he had only just woken up. "What you doing?" A hand went in the other direction, to where I had to assume Elena had been, and "Where's she gone?"

"_Clay_?" Oh _shit_.


	16. Decisions

It took about two seconds for my shock and confusion, and my eyes going from Clayton to the empty mattress beside him, for him to launch up and drag me with him. I told him as we headed into the kitchen, Clayton following Elena's trail, that we'd just been outside and he and Elena had headed off for Stonehaven together. Which they naturally hadn't, of course, if he was here.

He kicked Lucas awake and headed outside, gazing around, waiting impatiently for Lucas to get up. If I'd seen Clayton then I wasn't seeing a werewolf. We needed a different kind of backup for this one.

Paige came out, Lucas was going to wake Savannah and Adam and keep the house watched, and the three of us headed into the forest. Clayton was sensing and hearing things I couldn't, I trusted his nose, and Paige was quick to release whatever had been messing with my senses.

"Stay behind me." He said, softly, and spoke a little louder. "Elena? If you can hear me, that ain't me."

I understood- a magic user may not hear that. Elena, if she was close enough, she would. He was repeating this, softly, his feet barely making a sound, Paige and myself doing our best to copy him and step where he had. Clayton was moving at a fast lope, still in his boxers, ignoring the wet bushes and the dampness, focused on chasing down the person who'd lured his mate away.

The barriers between races in this world was starting to fall down big time. We knew how to deal with a mutt. But with a sorcerer or something? This was a new thing, a very new thing, and something we clearly had to address another time.

The bush crowded in around us, the rain getting a little heavier again and effectively making Clayton's voice drown out a little bit. He raised it, shoulders and neck so tense the veins were standing out, the head injury apparently a long forgotten 'disability'. Paige was doing something with her hands behind us.

Suddenly his pace went from jog to run. I heard it when we got closer to Stonehaven, the sound of grunts, skidding feet on the ground, muffled bangs, some kind of odd scuffle. A car running nearby.

We burst into the clearing to see Elena and a _woman_ struggling as she tried to get a syringe into her arm. It was an incredible sight- Elena was naked, blonde hair glowing in the moonlight, muscles rippling, her fists flying like a pro. The other woman was clearly struggling, the syringe getting knocked back, pain in her face as she dealt with hand to hand combat without any real experience in how to handle it. As we ran closer across the field, Elena and the woman kept it up, Elena keeping the woman's hands lowered for as long as possible.

Not forever though. There was a flash of magic, Paige suddenly ahead of us, panting from the jog and run, her face red and taunt with concentration, but her eyes were fixed on the other woman. I had to assume she was a witch, maybe, because she was using her hands to make things happen.

We ran right into some kind of barrier. There was another woman, sliding out of the car, her own face bloody and nose crooked. Probably Elena's beautiful work. She had her hands up and was trying to stop us from getting close. Clayton swore and with every damn muscle he had slammed his fist into the magical barrier.

"Give me a moment." Paige was working, her eyes fixed on the woman, and for the first time I saw exactly why Paige was the coven leader. She wasn't weak.

Elena and the first woman were still going at it, even as the woman counter attacked with spells rather than fists, Elena's eyes very clear now. Her eyes were narrowed, she didn't look at us, but I suspected she knew we were there- she was backing up towards us.

A ball of energy hit Elena, or _something_ did, as the witch's hand touched Elena's head and 'zapped it'. It was the only description I had for it. Elena's eyes widened then shut, body slumping down on the grass, just as the barrier was released.

The woman, about to lift Elena up, took one look at Clayton and was running backwards, the car screeching around in a mad circle, tyres digging into the mud, a door flying open as they tried to get away.

I moved then, trying to grab the woman before she got her arm free of my hand with a painful zap, made it into the driver's seat, collapsing awkwardly across the other woman as the car took off again. Clayton was faster than I was. Clayton slammed his fist down on the bonnet, the top of it flying up. They skidded, him grabbing onto the car door that was still swinging, their vision blinded by the big metal cover.

Just as they were about to miss a tree, I watched with amazement as he suddenly shoved his legs down into the ground, the fury fuelling him, muscles bulging suddenly as his feet dug deep into the ground, shoving the entire bloody car into the direction of the trees. With the driver's impaired control- she had her friend in her lap- they didn't miss those ones. With a sickening crunch of metal they crashed into the tree and he got up out of the muddy ground, wiping his muddy hands on his thighs, glancing at me.

"What's wrong with you?" He glared, I flinched, and rushed over, trying to shake my shock free. He meant, why had I lost grip of the woman. But there was no time to argue about 'no time to tell'. The women were getting out, struggling with the air bag, looking bruised, sore, and pissed off.

He and I approached, Paige pausing behind us to check Elena, and whatever expression he was giving them was intimidating them pretty damn good. Or maybe they'd heard about what he did to intruders. I wondered if that applied to witches?

Then the fighting started again, as they tried to keep us away from them, eyes almost mad with the realisation that they were more or less cornered and screwed. Another powerful explosion, right in my stomach, it sent me flying back hard onto the ground, Clayton grasping a tree and hanging on till he could move closer again, circling around them slowly. I got up, circled the other way, eyes fixed in theirs. Intimidation was the best weapon sometimes. The woman I fixed my eyes in, her eyes were almost white, wide, her breathing fast, and I knew if I'd had the normal sense of smell she'd be reeking of fear and blood right now. I didn't need to smell it to feel that hunter excitement come. I'd never attack a human, never.

"I got an idea." Clayton drawled, as he stalked around them, keeping his distance. Not out of fear, he was scaring the crap out of them too, having judged how far their spells worked. "We let them run and we hunt them."

They flinched, the witch with her eyes in his face saying something I couldn't make out. It was either a plea or an insult that had failed under the weight of her own fear. Clayton must have heard it though.

"You trespass on my land, attack my A lpha, so you deal with _my_ laws." He growled, a low angry growl, the sound vibrating through the dark heavy night, the rain quietening again. "Those laws don't mean nothing out here. Paige doesn't get a say."

There was a sudden last desperate attack on us, fire, zappy ball things, and the world shaking under our feet, I wasn't sure what it was, but from the way the wind suddenly screamed, it didn't sound like 'white magic'.

And then suddenly they were both knocked out. Just like that. Spells vanished, world went back to normal, and I saw what Clayton must have seen while he was distracting them- Paige was standing unnoticed on the car itself, holding onto a branch with one hand, the other still extended at the unconscious witches, her entire arm shaking.

Clayton strode over to kick the women onto their backs, and then glanced up at me, that same annoyance from earlier. "Something wrong with you?"

"The cure stopped working."

"You probably should have told me that earlier." Another annoyed look, as he moved away towards Stonehaven. No word to Paige, and that was probably a good sign that he approved of what she'd done, or I hope so.

Clayton bent over Elena, who was now lying on her back, Paige had probably moved her. "What is it, Paige?"

"Nothing harmful. She'll sleep a few hours." She called from the trees as she bound up the unconscious witches. No rope as far as I saw but they weren't going anywhere. More spells probably. This magic thing needed a 'sightseeing guidebook'.

"They were trying to inject her with this." I had spotted where the little plastic tube had fallen and went over to pick it up. "It's still full."

"Paige can carry that. You carry Elena, I'll carry those two." Clayton lifted Elena up and pushed her into my arms. She was much heavier when I wasn't strong but I could cope. I was determined to cope. After how useless I'd been tonight... "Jer will cure you when we get back." No, 'Would you like it' or 'we could...' it was a pretty clear order from him. I was a liability if I wasn't able to defend myself.

So I just nodded and hoisted her up carefully, trying to support her head, relieved to see she was more or less uninjured. If he trusted me to carry her then he wasn't _completely_ mad with me.

We headed back slowly, my arms aching fast and faster as I tried to keep up with Clayton's jog, because he kept glancing back with impatient looks. He wasn't leaving Elena alone till she was awake again and I wasn't moving as fast as he was.

There were lights finally and I knew we'd made it. All the lower floor lights were on now when we got to Forestwatch and Jeremy already coming out with a blanket to cover Elena up. She was stirring, trying to fight it, probably really pissed off and still fighting them in her head. It would explain why her hands kept twitching.

"You got a basement cage still?" Clayton asked, as he stopped in the hallway with the two witches slumped under each arm, his face still tense with fury.

"They're not mutts, Clay, you can't question them." Jeremy said softly, and Clayton's face darkened.

"They come onto my land and attack our Alpha. They know what happens. You got a cage or not?"

I did still, though it had stuff in it from being unused for so long, and I went downstairs to empty it out so he could dump the two of them in there. Savannah went with him and did something with the basement to prevent them from doing magic.

"They probably expected Elena to be struggling with the drugs in her system." Jeremy thought aloud as he gazed at the two women unconscious on the concrete ground. He handed me a towel and I wiped the mud off my back as fast as I could. The top was ripped up too, probably from whatever they kept hitting us with, scrapes and scratches here and there, nothing too big.

"The one pretending to be you wanted me to go with them for a run." I muttered as I met Clayton's face. " I should have realised then. First run together, of course you two would want to go alone." It was the ideal time for fun in the forest without kids at the door.

"You acted fast. Jer, she's lost her strength." Clayton glanced at him. "We need to get the injection into her."

"No rush. I'll get it before breakfast. It's just after five now, I'll head over soon."

"You should go now and check Stonehaven." I spoke up, eyes going from one to the other. "Seeing as they were there." The image of it burning danced across my eyes when some mutt had set it on fire several years ago. The last thing we needed was for that to happen again.

Jeremy froze, nodding, and Clayton gave the witches a glare.

"Savannah can come with us." Clayton decided. "Paige stays down here."

Neither of us argued with that and they went upstairs, Clayton accepting pants from Nick who'd finally woken up to the activity below, while I saw Reece sitting outside and watching the forest. His head was poking up through the window.

I went to sit with Elena on the couch, her eyes fluttering, hands twitching, like she was really fighting the sleep and wanting to get her hands on those women again. It might have been funny another time. It had been too bloody close and it might have been worse. They must have snuck up on her while she was trying to change. It was lucky they hadn't got her mid-change. Or maybe they had? She had pretty good control and might have reversed it in a hurry.

She woke before Jeremy, Clayton and Savannah returned, flying up as the spell shattered, eyes narrowing till she caught sight of us. Elena blinked, staring around her, getting her bearings.

"Welcome back." Nick flopped down on her other side. "Want some clothes?"

"Where's Clay?"

"Checking Stonehaven for an infestation." I smiled somewhat, and she tried to return it, her smile tense. "You ok?"

"Annoyed." She slid up higher, tucking the blanket around her chest, rubbing her head. "Were they witches? Get any answers out of them yet?"

"Seems they were. Paige's watching them now. But we haven't had time to question them. They're probably working for Demetruis." I replied, a soft shrug, I was unsure. "We've got them downstairs and asleep. You knew it wasn't him?"

"He was complimenting you too much." She made a wry face at that. "I guessed pretty fast but had her lower her guard. Funny how people think being naked means you're suddenly weak."

I wasn't offended by that, because she was right, if he had been openly complimenting me then it was clearly not Clayton. I viewed Clayton's world as a pyramid. There was Elena and his kids, Jeremy probably there, right at the tip. The smallest group. We were just under them- his pack- and then under that was a tiny layer, so tiny it was practically impossible to tell it was there, where a few trusted non-pack people got to rest precariously. Paige and Lucas, maybe, Adam, Savannah... people who'd bled and sweated and suffered to get some grudging respect from him. Below that sat the entire damn world, humans and supernatural alike, who he preferred to dislike than like. Under that was everyone he loathed and that layer _wasn't_ a small one. I had to assume Cassandra was apart of that not so exclusive world.

So no, while he liked us as his pack-sisters and brothers, the chances of him being openly nice about us so bluntly was very unlikely. Clayton had other ways to show it, show his trust, ones he never openly acknowledged. I'd realised that pretty fast and had learnt to watch for them, those tiny gestures that were easy to overlook, learning to read the superior wolf's body language so I knew when to duck back and when to come closer. It was an instinct that came with being pack. Allowing me to carry Elena, that was no small thing, or letting Logan and Kate stay overnight here from time to time.

"They're mad to come here at all." Nick said as he stroked Elena's arm, leaning against her, and she caught him peeking down the blanket and hit him. It was playful though. We'd all seen each other naked. That wasn't as big a deal to us as it was to other races.

A soft rumble of my stomach reminded me about food. "I'll get some breakfast. Nick can help." I decided, standing up, and Nick followed behind me obediently.

The three returned from Stonehaven just as breakfast was ready, flopping into the dining room table with the rest of us as I put the pancakes, sliced ham, bottle of syrup and other goodies on the table. The kids ate in the living room with the TV on, cartoons on, completely oblivious to what had just gone on. Elena wanted to tell them later with Clayton and she asked if she could be the one to tell Matt. Matt was so adoring of Clayton that it wasn't a bad idea. As long as Clayton made it clear he was in control, which he usually did, Matt wouldn't rush into the forest and try and rip legs open again.

We sat there, eating breakfast quietly, trying to not speak about it or who was in the basement. Clayton was itching to get downstairs but Elena had told him to wait a little while. They were witches and Paige wasn't keen on his 'questioning' just yet. Technically she still was more or less the big wig for their race. I was so used to men being the bad guys that I was a bit shocked, I'd forgotten that women could be and usually were equally as deadly or dangerous. Werewolves were primarily male, so naturally the bad ones had all up to now been male, but this wasn't going to be true for most races.

If the lines were blurring between our worlds as they were then I'd have to change my perception of who was a threat and who wasn't.

We were clearing the dishes up when Lucas got a phone call and Clayton had to go outside for a while, in order to resist the temptation to go do his brand of questioning, frustration there.

A phone call had Lucas leave for a while. Jeremy took me upstairs, even if I wanted to wait and see if this was about the twins, and he had me lie on our bed, Nick beside me to hold me down, so that he could administer the 'cure' and get me back to full strength for a while. How long, we had no clue, but it was better than putting everyone at risk if I couldn't fight.

It was a quick injection. Quick and ...as it started to flood through my veins, like fire, I felt something else in there. A tiny amount, maybe to reduce the pain, but I _knew_ it was there. I swore, body convulsing, limbs thrashing as the fire spread throughout my limbs through the veins, so painfully aware of the stuff. Nick held me down, face draining of blood, lips pursed tight.

When it was over, the morphine addiction came into it, and I groaned, clutching to Nick, the words "I need more..." escaping before I could hold them back. I grabbed the stupid syringe, throwing it hard against the wall, the plastic container just bouncing back. Damn him. Fuck, fuck, fuck...

"More cure?" Nick wasn't sure what I meant.

"No, no more. Don't touch me with that shit again." I shut my eyes, squeezed them, shut, trying to fight through the need for the pain killer. My body had grown so used to morphine that it didn't take small doses- it was used to them- and it required huge amounts. More than most humans could safely take. This was a teaspoon when I was craving for a litre. A teasing amount that drove my body _mad_. It was too little for anyone to really notice, not with the residual pain the cure left in the body, but I noticed big time.

Nick was still holding me down, though for different reasons this time, confusion clouding his face. He glanced up at Jeremy.

Jeremy seemed to get what was going on before I did. He went over to the syringe and left, going downstairs, without another word. He needed a bitten wolf to smell the contents.

When he came back he told me. He didn't need to. I knew that it had morphine in it, just a tiny amount, Clayton had smelt the trace of it easily.

"I know. Fuck, fuck... can't we get it out?"

"Drink this. It might help." Jeremy was offering that charcoal drink again, anger there, but not at me. I had just started to really get in control again and Demetruis had just fucked me over. He kept doing it, kept slipping me that shit one way or another. "I didn't think to check it for that."

"You shouldn't _have_ to."

I drank it, the desperation in my body, craving it not just with mind but in my actual physical body as well. Still I tried to push it down, tried to hold it back, sitting up slowly. The next few days was going to be hell. Slowly I inhaled, shutting my eyes, awareness of the world starting to come back in bit by bit. Nick and Jeremy's scents. The sound of voices downstairs, and the cartoon. Older smells of other things.

Lucas was coming. I heard him faintly, heard his steps coming, and tried to get the scowl off my face as he came in.

"We may have a way to get them but you'll have to fly to Miami. Are you okay?" His eyes went over my shiny skin, the sweat there from the pain, my shaking arms, and then to Nick's angry face.

"Yes." I tried to stand up. Screw the morphine, I had twins to get back. Nick stood up with me.

"I'm coming too." Jeremy added, glancing at me, a hand on my arm. He leaned closer as Lucas left with the phone. "We'll make sure you get through it again." His eyes met Nick's eyes.

"What about the attack on Elena?" I asked, softly, not wanting to take Jeremy away from her.

"There's more than enough protection here and she's fine. We'll go, get your babies, and return as fast as we can. Nick, pack up a bag of things for the babies." Jeremy glanced at Nick who nodded, moving away to find a bag and stuff it with stuff.

Benicio Cortez had sent that private plane again, a body guard waiting to stay with Lucas, his gratitude for my help a few days before apparently not giving up any time soon. Or maybe he just liked to know where his son was and who he was with? I wasn't sure. I sat there, body stiff and my stomach churning, the cravings and withdrawal a little less...but still frustrating.

"Because what she's doing is illegal, we can call the police." Lucas explained. "My father hoped to avoid doing it this way, hoped she'd see that, and we could avoid the messy side. But she's been stubborn about it. He's already got the police meeting us at her house when we get there. We wait outside, they go in, and she has to give the child up or face charges."

I nodded, hand in Nick's hand, the twin carriage- which had been the triplet's one but we'd taken the top carrier off- sitting in the back of the plane. Some part of me doubted it'd work, the other half was as desperate for it to work as I was for that stupid chemical. He'd gotten them clothing, food, and nappies, and I could see he was determined to get them back today.

Jeremy spoke with Lucas as I shut my eyes, trying to not throw up, the last of the flight passing by in a blur. Whatever tiny amount of the painkiller had been there, it was going now, the body getting rid of it quickly.

A car met the plane, a long limo complete with baby seats, whisking us through Miami, and the closer we got to the bridge, the more my heart raced. This time it had nothing to do with the drug. It was entirely to do with the twins. There was a police car waiting when we got there and the policeman told us to stay in the car while they handled it.

She might have been willing to attack us, it seemed, but a police man was a different thing. She had a reputation to uphold, she wasn't an unknown face here, and she put up no resistance. Lucas warned me softly that she might try for custody, if she knew about the morphine, but he'd be around if she did. He'd handled Paige's custody battle for Savannah. I didn't even realise he was a lawyer, not till now, and I was relieved to hear that. I wouldn't have known where to start.

I inhaled slowly when I saw the door open again, the policemen coming out with the two small bodies, I heard them whimper their distress as the sun hit their faces. They'd probably been woken up. The nanny was carrying one of them, the police man with the other, and they brought them to the car as Nick double checked that the baby seat things in the car were safe.

The nanny passed one to me, her eyes fixing me with as dirty a look as the older woman had, but I didn't give a damn what she thought. They weren't her children. I took Reece carefully, lowering him into my arms, as he squirmed and frowned and whimpered about how this was not a nice way to be woken. He'd start to cry soon, I saw the signs, and I shut the door in her face and held him against my chest, singing quietly into his ear, until he quietened down and was falling back asleep. Nick took Rose on the other side, thanking the police, and she easily quietened down in his arms with no effort.

Once we had them in their seats, cosy and tucked up, they quietened down and went back to sleep, my hand resting over Reece as I watched Rose. Jeremy's lips curled up in a soft smile.

"How you feeling now?" He asked as he reached over to take Rose's tiny hand, it curled around his finger.

"Calmer." I admitted. I did feel calm. Their smells were washing into me, filling up the empty places, removing all remaining panic. I was just looking forward to getting that clothing off them, checking them for problems, making sure that they were uninjured, happy, well fed.

Lucas told the driver to get going and we took off from the house. I was so caught up in watching them, fascinated by their yawns, by their secure grip on their thumbs, that I barely noticed we were at the airport already till Nick was lifting the car seat up and Jeremy was unhooking Reece's car seat.

"I'll carry him. Go on ahead." He reassured me. I nodded, flutters of anxiety returning for the brief second we were out in the open, and I suspected they wouldn't really fade until we got them back into Forestwatch.

It helped to have Jeremy there though, and Nick, the two of them on either side of the twins, Lucas keeping watch, his body guard equally as watchful and careful. I climbed in once they were safely secured, finding a seat just behind Nick and Reece. We took off again, neither baby caring much about the plane apparently, and made our way back for New York.

We hadn't even gotten there before there was news about the older woman, who's name was apparently also Rose, filing for custody. I frowned but Lucas told me to focus on it another day. He'd look into it and see what he could do.

That was fine by me. It was enough of a stress to get them home safely without worrying about legal bullshit.

I realised, as we were lowering for the other airport, that morphine in the treatment could have served Demetruis with an additional purpose. If it was in all treatments he could have people 'hooked' onto the treatments with not just the psychological need to be normal again but also a physical need for the contents.

Jeremy froze as I repeated this to him and he nodded a fraction. "It would have to be larger amounts than what you had today. It could explain some of the behaviour we've heard about."

"Like?"

"Attacks on humans that are close to exposure. Crime. Begging on the streets, for some. Some are offering their bodies now. They're getting desperate." He sighed. "How is your body doing?"

"I feel fine." No, I felt sick, my head hurt, my body was aching, but I was fine. I rested my head against the back of Nick's neck and felt him lean back a little. There'd be no morphine at Forestwatch or Stonehaven to tempt me. I'd just have to deal with it. Maybe I'd borrow Jeremy's cage if it got worse than this, that was how desperate the feeling was, that the panic I felt in any 'cage' was _nothing_ compared to the physical and mental longing for a drug I loathed. I could happily be sedated in a cage if it meant I'd get back to control.

We lowered down, touching down on the runway, the smell that indicated it was nappy change just in time to make it awkward. Luckily the pilot didn't mind, we paused there, changing them on a blanket on the seat, before we lifted them up. Nick might have brought the pram but I wanted to cart them both around in my arms. Wanted to. I couldn't do it, my arms were shaking, so I let him push them through the airport to where we'd left the car, carrying the bag instead. Jeremy carried the seats behind us.

Clayton wasn't around when we got back. I had to assume he was downstairs, didn't care, I wanted to crawl into bed, put those babies beside me in a crib, and nap. No such luck for several hours though, the triplets were hysterical and needed to be calmed down, then they wanted to see the babies, then we had to make lunch, I craved that damn drug and my body ached from head to foot, the twins needing changing and feeding, and finally I only managed to get to lie down when the triplets went for their nap and I could lie down for mine.

Elena and Jeremy had vanished into our study to probably catch up, now that she was more or less raring to go, Antonio going to join them. Nick crawled into bed beside me, leaning across my back and stroking my shoulders as I groaned.

"We got them." He murmured against my back.

"Now we hire a nanny." I joked, though it felt less like a joke right now, and I heard him laugh above me. "You've got to go back to work."

Nick didn't answer for a while. He'd more or less used up his 'vacation days' and I knew he was trying to take his job seriously. But then he nodded against my back. "Dad and I have to go back tomorrow. We've been doing as much of it as we can from here but it's easier there."

Of course it was. I rolled onto my back and he smiled apologetically down at me, stroking my face, sliding closer. I knew he had to work in the city. We'd already made up our minds about this, that it was fine, but I suddenly wished he wasn't going away _so far_ right now.

"Want a nanny?" Nick was serious now, stroking my face slowly, and there was concern there.

"It's okay. I'll manage." I smiled weakly. I hated the idea of any non-pack member touching my kids. Me, I could handle it, but my kids? No way. "I can't come with you tomorrow."

"Not yet." His eyes went from me to where Reece and Rose were asleep, their bodies pressed up against each other, one of them awake and watching the dangling mobile. One of them was asleep, lungs moving slowly, heart rate peaceful, and I wondered if they knew they were home. Knew that they were with me and it was safe here.

"I'd still like to live with you there when they're older." I admitted, loving his reaction to that, the smile that crept across his face. "But I'd like to see you too."

"I'll try to stop the late nights." Nick agreed, brushing hair out of my face as I touched his arm, his chest, running my hands down his stomach .

Those words made me sight a little. I shifted up, kissing his neck, wrapping arms around him. Truth was, this was part of him. He liked going out. I wasn't going to force him to stop. "You can still do it. Just a few less."

"I'll try a few less then." He relaxed against me, arms coming around me as well, shoulders slumping. "Want to go for a run tonight?"

"We'll ask Elena if it's fine. I need to go for a run." I nodded, kissing the taunt skin there, his soft shudder responding to my teasing.

"Thought you wanted a nap."

"I do." I yawned, laying back, curling up. If he tried anything I'd probably fall asleep halfway through. Nick laughed and slid over to lay beside me, arm across my side, pulling hair out of his way to reach the tender skin at the back of my neck.

"Then nap."

I did, finally letting go of the last clingy bits of anxiety, eyes closing and the sounds of Nick's heart and the twin's hearts in my ears, and the voices of triplets down in their own room nearby.

Someone when I woke up, things were peaceful still, a small miracle. I lay there, the triplets now in the room with a book between them, Matt downstairs doing something near the pool... something about a mud fort around the house... and Nick was in the study downstairs, I could hear him if I strained my ears enough, hear him speaking to someone at work.

I sighed slowly, relaxing, letting the sounds and smells of the world merge in the back of my mind, rolling onto my back. The most problematic thing, it seemed, was that I'd drooled on the pillow. Not a _big_ problem.

The babies themselves were both awake, somehow having gotten their hands on a soft toy, their small hands holding it and dropping it... then picking it back up. I kept thinking of them as newborn but they really weren't any more. Time was already flying by and I'd missed the first few months of their life.

It made me more determined to hang onto them from now on.

Custody battle. Shit. The words made me sit up, three pairs of eyes catching the movement, but the triplets were too engrossed in their story book. Lucas would tell me more when _he_ knew more. What else was I trying to avoid by being 'too relaxed to care'? Now that I was sitting up I knew that the disease, the witches, all of it... they were all going on outside the room.

Instead of rushing downstairs and joining in that chaos I lowered a baby mat thing onto the ground and lowered the babies onto it. I read to all five of them then, even of the babies were too little to get it, letting one toddler at a time sit in my lap with a baby.

The sudden though, I wished my parents could be here for this, it made me freeze on the spot, a kind of grief I'd ignored coming back. Their faces, if they'd seen me with all these kids under four... I couldn't imagine if they'd laugh or pretend to have a headache and run for the car. My sister would have been delighted. But then, she'd spaced her kids out with years between, so she could be.

And my parents. They'd be reminding me that it was time to think about school for the triplets. School! I wondered if they were even old enough for preschool. I remembered I'd gone when I was four, though I barely remembered it, but who knew these days. Acutaly, Dad would think the idea was stupid. Three year olds needed real life experience, not chess lessons in a preschool, and Mum would be more concerned with the cost of the school.

I shut my eyes, leaning back against the wall, wishing that they were alive. It would be easier. Not just because I could ask for help, but just ...because, sometimes all you needed was to talk to your mum or your dad about things. Or your _sister_ even. However much Susie had mothered me, I could have told her anything and known she wouldn't pass it onto our parents, and I could ask for advice on topics knowing she'd never gossip about it later. At least not to Mum and Dad. I'd never known that was so important till they suddenly weren't on the other end of a phone line.

"You all right?" Lillian's voice came through my thoughts. I opened my eyes as she sat down on the other side, accepting Lily's snuggle, the two of them bonding so fast over their names it would have been funny another time.

"Just thinking about my parents. How they would have pretended to have a headache after a few hours and gone to find peace." I smiled weakly. "It would have been nice for them to see these five."

"Where are they? I mean, if you-"

"They died three and a half years ago." I reached down to pick up Rose. She let me prop her up on her behind, looked almost delighted by the sudden copy to us, and Lillian did the same with Reece. For the first time in their lives, I assumed, they were suddenly sitting upright and their heads were steady enough to stay there. They both seemed a bit shocked by this sudden change in the way the world looked.

"How did they die?" She asked softly. I met her eyes, briefly, remembering that she wasn't young. Lillian was already in her seventies and getting close to her eighties. It was kind of sweet that Antonio was back with her again, unoffically. But that was my mind trying to sidetrack me from her question.

"They were murdered. Their house was set on fire and no one but Matt got out." The words were easy to get out but the feelings of grief and rage still tore each other apart. The _half brother_ of these babies did it. What a messed up family.

She breathed out slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been hard."

"We got who did it. But ...they never knew about the triplets." I leaned Rose back as her neck got tired, letting her rest against my legs half propped up, her hands coming up to try and grasp my hair as it swayed across her.

"It's hard to be without your parents. You never stop missing them." She agreed softly. "Mine knew about Nick but ...they never could accept it. They were relieved when I came home without him and tried to tell me to pretend he'd never happened."

"Like pretending it doesn't get dark at night."

"Exactly." She lowered Reece down. He must have been a fraction stronger than his sister in his neck. "I never thought I'd see him again."

"I think he never stopped missing you." I said the words very softly and I saw a kind of emotion twist across her face at that. Sadness, happiness, something.

"I'm glad he's letting me in his life."

"I think he never blamed you or his father. He tried to understand. He always tries." I reached out to touch her hand briefly.

"He told me that." Lillian admitted. Neither of us spoke a while.

The mood was low, depressing, and I knew that the babies and toddlers were picking up on it fast. So I asked, lighter, almost teasing her, "Antonio's been taking you out on dates?"

That made her flush and for a second she reminded me of a teenage girl who'd been caught sneaking out the window. "You heard?"

"This is a pack. Everyone hears eventually. You two have made up?"

"I'm still upset about what he did." She frowned, but the mood had lightened now, Lillian's eyes less clouded with the grief. "But yes. Now I know what you all are and how lucky I am to know... I just wish he'd told me then. I would have kept the secret for him."

"They might not have let you. The pack was different then." I said it quietly. They would have probably killed her and made him come home.

"No, but it is now. And I get to know all of these rugrats." She laughed softly. Maybe she knew, I wasn't sure, but Antonio had probably told her more or less what danger they'd been in. "I got sent up to send you downstairs while I babysat."

"All five on your own?" Again, she wasn't young. I struggled and I was apparently young!

"Tonio's coming up to help in a few minutes. Go on. We can read a book and play some games."

I heard Antonio downstairs, nodded, and got up as she lifted up the book I'd only half read. Rose was moved around to her other leg, propped up, the toddlers gathering around her as best they could.

Antonio met me halfway up the stairs and glanced back. "Clay wants you in the basement."

Ah bugger. Back to work then. I grimaced, he smiled a fraction, and we went our separate ways. I almost wanted to turn around and face the nappies all over again. As much as I did whatever it took, and I had with the ex-alpha, it was never the kind of thing I liked.

Clayton hadn't started yet and he wasn't alone. Paige was still there, arms crossed, giving him such a look that I was surprised she had it in her to face up to him like this.

"What's going on?" Somehow I didn't need them to answer. I could guess what he wanted to do.

"We need answers from them."

"That isn't going to get you truth. They'll just tell you want you want to hear."

I glanced into the cage. Both witches were tied up against the wall, one with a long cut already along one cheek, blood streaming down her face. It looked deep enough to go into her mouth. I breathed in slowly, trying to ignore the smell of tears and blood, and turned back. Again, it was hard... somehow it was easier to assume and treat male mutts as bad guys. But a couple of female witches who looked like they were in their twenties and thirties? THAT was a mindfuck...

"They'll tell me the truth." Clayton growled. I guessed he didn't see or care what gender or race they were. The 'laws' on this land were extending for everyone. If they'd shown up, they might have gotten a beat up and a warning, but by attacking Elena...

He needed answers. Paige wouldn't let him hurt them.

"What will you do with them, Paige?" I asked quietly. Elena came down then, cringing at the sight of the witche's cheek, then turned her eyes away. Clayton's anger faded at her expression.

"You don't have to see this, darling."

"If you two are about to go at each other, I do." She set her jaw, arms crossed, some of the blood draining out of her face. Maybe she'd never witnessed Clayton's techniques like I had. It probably didn't help their relationship … I wouldn't want Nick to see what I did sometimes. Elena turned to me. "Can you hypnotise them?"

Paige actually flinched, staring at me with an expression that she'd never used before, like she'd never seen me before. "You do that?"

Elena caught her expression too. "She does it sometimes."

"I might be able to." I hadn't done it on a witch. "Not with them in the same place though. You'll have to put one in that shed."

The one we'd used before. Reece had made it perfectly sound proof. I hadn't touched it for over a year and a half.

Paige glanced from me to Clayton with that equally horrified look. Minds or bodies, either way we were going to screw with these witches.

"I don't do it to mess their minds up. I just need to get the answers out." I added, quietly, as she narrowed her eyes at both of us.

"I don't do it to mess up their bodies. I just need answers." Clayton agreed with me, his own arms crossing. "We can do one each, compare notes, then make them change their minds if something doesn't match."

"I can _try_." She snapped.

Elena sighed. She looked at Clayton, his face darkening, and he strode past us upstairs. Then she met my eyes and I understood. She was going to let Paige try first. At least then she'd have that satisfaction.

Or, I realised, maybe having this discussion in front of the two of the witches had done something after all. Because as I turned to go up after Clayton I saw it- sheer terror in their faces. One was going to get their mind invaded, the other's body invaded, and they had no clue who would get what. The fear was almost dripping off them, clouding the air around me, setting off that hunter instinct all over again.

Clayton was in the kitchen when I came out and I went to stand nearby as he tried to get his frustration out on the marble bench.

"Their fear might be enough to get them to talk." I said quietly from behind him.

"Our way is better." He didn't look at me or say another word. Our way had worked pretty well when we had to go intimidate a mutt. Clayton was muscle and I got into their heads, either by staring at their penis -most mutts knew about me by now- or by literally getting into their heads. Usually the sight of Clayton was enough. Reece tended to come along for those if he wasn't working, he was fast, a good tracker, fast, quiet, strong and _young_. If they scoffed at Clayton's age then they'd turn around and find Reece standing behind them.

"We got to make it clear to all races what happens if they come here." Clayton said after a while. He looked frustrated now, angry. "We're not just going to let them walk all over us if they're not mutts."

"You want to set an example." I understood suddenly. It had been his idea that I film my own punishment of the ex-alpha, so it was clear to the mutts who I was, so I could set my own example for them. Maybe he was _right_. Maybe not. We didn't know how to deal with magic users yet and what if it challenged them to come and avenge their friends? If he did it he'd have to make it one hell of an example.

He didn't even have to answer, just turned and strode to the fridge, pulling out some leftovers as he waited.

Elena hadn't come back up. I kept an ear on her, as did Clayton, and we knew she was using her soft but authoritative 'Alpha' voice and energy to threaten them. Threaten them with _us_. Threaten them that neither would get off this land with their minds and bodies unharmed if we got to them. It stung a bit but she was probably right. If they spoke to Paige then they'd be tried under the Cabal's laws and wouldn't be harmed.

Locked away or tortured to insanity? Tough call. Maybe it wasn't surprising, after what Clayton had done to one of the witches cheeks, that they agreed to be separated and to take their chances with the Cabal.

Savannah took one to the shed. Paige took the other. Adam guarded the shed, Reece went downstairs to stand beside Elena and Paige, Clayton told to stay upstairs for now and was going to listen in. Those were the words. Elena said them softly downstairs, but they were both for the witch's ears and ours, 'Clayton is staying upstairs for now and is going to listen in.'

Despite himself I saw his lips twitch as he heard them plea for him to not come back down. Or me either, apparently, the hypnotherapy had spooked them just as badly.

"What's with their fear of you?" He asked after a while.

I was making a sandwich of my own then and glanced up. "Lucas said that hypnotherapy is more effective on minds of supernaturals and it's more or less seen as black magic. Here I was thinking I could make money off past lives, quit smoking therapy and weight loss." I shrugged, smiling a fraction, and he looked almost curious. To him my mind stuff was just an amusing factor in getting questions. "Something about how it affects the part of the brain better because we use it. Or they do, anyway."

"Interesting." He wasn't kidding either. I saw him thinking this over slowly. "Useful too."

"I suppose so. Lucas warned me to not talk about it much." I stuck cheese on the Vegemite and sat up on the bench, wondering suddenly where Nick was, remembering the last time I'd sat on the bench. That... hadn't worked as well as we'd hoped.

"Give you a hell of a reputation though." Clayton sat beside me as he ate his leftover lasagne.

We went quiet as we listened. The one downstairs claimed they'd been doing it alone. That there had been a lot of money put on Elena's head, a little less on mine, and that they'd simply done it for the cash. The one downstairs had a boyfriend who was half-demon and wanted him to be cured, or something, and Clayton scowled. He wanted to make sure. He didn't just want to let them go now, let them give one story, and then leave after.

When it became clear that Paige was going to question her for hours, using the woman's exhaustion rather than Clayton's methods, I started cooking dinner. Clayton shut the door to the basement so the kids didn't go down or accidentally catch some sound from down there as they passed it.

There was an amused look on his face though when all the kids sat down at their lower table. Three older kids, Matt the oldest, three toddlers, and the two babies in the cot. Eight children. Even his grouchy mood couldn't hide the amusement at that sight.

"What?" I asked as he crossed his arms and stared at them as they tried to eat the pasta and sauce.

"Just thinking what the pack would have said if they could see this." He replied, shaking his head slowly. "Four girls with the four boys. No pissing contest between the kids for who was strongest. Not sure how Dominic would have taken it."

"Four more werewolves." I added, quietly, realising how big this really was. Bugger. Four females for the next generation.

The reality of having so many little ones under five was starting to really hit me though. Clayton vanished when the dishes were emptied, Nick showing up and muttering something about how I'd asked for him, and he looked about ready to run away too when he saw the pile of dishes stacked around the _one dishwasher_. I made him do that while I went into the laundry. Normally domestic stuff was something I used to escape from the stress of attacks, or other things going on outside the world, but I suddenly wished I hadn't come into the laundry at that exact moment. Kids seemed to create the same amount of laundry as a factory full of sick werewolves.

I sighed, wondered if I could retreat to wherever Clayton had gone with the older kids, but just got on with it. We couldn't run out of clothing either. Suddenly... preschool? Not a bad idea at all. There'd be a bunch of them in New York, wouldn't there? Good ones. Expensive ones with security. Ones that would teach my triplets some useful skills and give me a few days of the week to ...I didn't know, chase after the twins when they started to crawl.

Nick slid into the laundry with me, shutting the door behind him, and to my amazement started to stuff clothing im the machine beside me.

"Sh." He put a finger to his lip. I heard it before him, three pairs of feet pounding after him, and just as the triplets tried to get to the handle, Nick got to it and held it. He grinned, thirty seconds later they were bored and going off to play somewhere else, before I was pulled over to the door and pinned against it. "Love you."

"Love you. Nick?" I let him lift me up onto the washing machine, the machine rumbling under my behind, Nick trying to yank clothing out of his way.

"What?" He gazed up at me, the hungry look back, Nick's hands tossing my panties out and sliding the skirt up before he reached for his button.

Whatever I'd been thinking... the thought was gone. "I forgot." He laughed, undid his pants, and moved closer. That look on his face had thrown it away and replaced it with the familiar throbbing ache he could do with just a look. We had about five minutes. I dragged him against me, legs closing around him, and pulled him into me.

It was kind of incredible, vibration under us, his hungry 'creativity' at work, the two of us groaning softly in each others ears as we took advantage of this precious few minutes we had. I was first, the release sending me flopping back against the machine, some button pressed under me and the machine suddenly changing cycles. Nick laughed, bent lower over me, his face tensing as he moved faster, and I watched his release in his face, hands tightening around my thighs, pressing up hard against me.

He had only just got his pants done up when the triplets came back, and I slid up quickly, pushing my skirt down. They got to the door before he did, pulling it open, crowding in around us and asking us if they could have cake again.

"What was it you wanted to ask?" He asked as he lifted up Dominic. I went to get the panties off the doorhandle to the backyard, shoving them into the pocket in my skirt... then after a thought, slid them into his pants instead. Nick watched them, lips twitching, leaning down to kiss me. I felt Dominic do the same thing, kiss my cheek from the side, the two girls wandering away when they saw Jeremy. Jeremy usually gave into them .

Dominic made Nick put him down and chased after them.

I checked the machine, fixing it onto the right cycle all over again, and turned to face him. "Preschool."

"I wanted to talk to you about that actually." His smile faded and he shut the door gently, before leaning over to wrap arms around me. "Dad mentioned it might be a good idea."

"Antonio?" I should have been annoyed, that he was already commenting to Nick about it, but Antonio always seemed to be ahead of us about things like this.

"We were talking about how well you did with three babies but how hard five would be, while you were napping upsairs, and we thought that you already struggle with the triplets. Five would be a very hard job." Nick's voice was soft, very careful, his hands stroking my thighs slowly. "I have to go back to work tomorrow and you won't have support from everyone."

"I'm doing the best I can, Nick." I snapped, the words bursting out before I could stop them, and he flinched when he saw the hurt in my face. "I'm not lazy. I've been working hard to do it."

"No one's saying you're a lazy mum, Liz, or that you don't try hard. One baby's hard work and you had three. Now you've got five."

I tried to glare at him. It really annoyed me, that he was saying I wasn't coping, when I was trying my bloody hardest. Other mums could do this, I was sure, people in the stone age didn't have contraceptives. But it was true. There was going to be a lot more work now and I wasn't sure how to do it. "I try my hardest." I repeated, lowly. "You're not even here three days of the week."

"I thought we agreed... never mind. You're right. I'm not and you did great before the world fucked itself up around our heads again. Point is, we're both struggling to cope, and it's going to get harder now." Nick shook his head a fraction. "There's a few preschools in New York that have good programs and it leads into the private schools there."

"You already looked?" Maybe that had been what he was doing on the phone earlier. I tried to give him a look. Tried, anyway, it was hard to do with Nick.

"Dad and I found one that would be good. It's five days a week, regular school hours, and they can take them second week in September. They were happy to offer us a place."

Wait, what? "_Five_ days a week? Nick, they're _three years old!_ They aren't ready for five days! They can't even be without us for a car ride without getting upset." I couldn't believe it. He'd not only looked, he'd already picked a place with Antonio, and _called_ them.

"Liz, we can't even be out of their sight for ten minutes before they get anxious. One day they'll have to go to school, they'll have to make friends out of that trio, and they'll have to get used to not having us there from dawn to dusk." Nick sighed softly. "I _know_ it's important for them to be apart of our pack but they'll have to go to school, it's good for them to get to know humans, it's good for them to be used to that world. I want them to be able to be in it without needing a guide that speaks pack and human."

Of course he was right. It had been part of the reason I'd been thinking it over. I shut my eyes, breathing in and out fast, trying to push down the anger at him. "They'll be upset. To be away so much."

"Only for a little while. It's a small class, they'll realise there are other toddlers their age, and they'll learn to play with other kids. Right now they're used to being the centre of our world and ...they are getting bigger. They can't keep thinking that the world revolves around them alone. They've already been getting jealous of the twins." Nick added the last part, almost reluctantly.

My head shot up. "What?"

"They're down here because they got upset when Mum had to change the twins. Got really upset. If they're getting attention, they're fine, but if the twins get a bottle or a change, they want one too. They want _nappies_ again." Nick groaned softly.

"I didn't notice." Guilt reared up, that horrible guilt, that 'I'd been neglecting them' feeling coming right back to slap me in the face. How could I have not noticed this? The reality that I'd only had the twins for a week, and during that time there was help, it didn't help.

"Because you don't usually do it in the same room and you're exhausted. We've all been trying to help. Liz, you've been through a lot, you've got a lot more to do, and they _won't_ suffer. It'll teach them to make friends." After a pause, he added, "I wouldn't let them go somewhere that upsets them. I don't want to go tomorrow and think you're here almost on your own stressing out about them as well."

Of course he wouldn't. I sighed again, a long deep sigh, trying to release the tension that'd returned when he'd mentioned that they were jealous of their siblings. "So it's a ..."

"Monday to friday. Nine till three. They have nap time, they have painting, games, toys, they get taught about computers even, and there's even foreign language school." Nick smiled somewhat. "Dad liked that. He wants them to know Italian and I thought we could teach them Australian too."

I shoved at him lightly for that. He was trying to cheer me up.

"Five days a week. So either they're … with you for five days in New York or I come there for the five days."

"You can decide that."

"But Matt-" I hesitated. "He goes to school here."

"Already talked to Elena and Clay. He can stay with them. The three kids spend half their lives here or there anyway, and he knows how to call, or to use the computer to get you, and you're a quick flight away if there's a problem."

"You've got it all figured out." I muttered. "When were you coming to me?"

"When I had all the problems sorted." He admitted, a sheepish grin, and moved to lock the door. "Ten minutes. Just watch..."

Nick was right. Like clockwork I heard all three coming back, heard them try and open the laundry door, and knock. Who taught them to knock? It was so cute. I wanted to open the door up and... Nick's expression, the 'told you so', as I reached for the door handle made me freeze.

"Bugger." I muttered.

"Exactly." He agreed.

We tried to ignore them. Now they knew we were here, they waited, their voices going from inquisitive to instant within a minute. Nick and I slipped out the side door and went around the house for the living room, while they tried to get into the laundry.

"Okay. It's probably a good place. I can live there for five days." I wasn't going to spend a second away from them if I could help it.

Nick grinned then, a brilliant grin, it was the exact answer he'd wanted.

"Do I dare ask how much it'll cost?" I suddenly realised. Private preschool? That was not a good sign.

"Don't ask."

"Tell me. We pay half each for them. " I nudged at him hard. "You know I've been trying to hang onto money for them. Education is important. Do we need to be closer to this place?" I didn't want to be in the city while they were out ...somewhere in the suburbs. The closer I was to that school the better I felt about this.

"We don't have to move. The preschool is near the apartment and the older kid school is near our family home." Nick stopped beside the pool and we rested there a moment. The triplets had given up again and were trying to find us, I could hear them checking rooms. "It's around twenty six thousand a year. Plus a little extra … we were late applying, but I explained you had been pregnant with twins and we were overwhelmed." He shrugged slightly.

"_What_?" God. My mother would have had a heart attack here and now if she'd heard that. I was all for spoiling them, I loved to do it, but ...so much! So what was half of that? Times three? It was more than a new car. I breathed out slowly. The insurance and inheritance still had plenty- I tried to be as sparing with it as I could, I wanted it to last for this. The payout for all their deaths had been _huge_. I hadn't really wanted to touch it anyway, not when I knew where it came from, but I'd known my Mum especially would have wanted it to go straight to the triplets. The school had good locality to the home and the security _had_ to be good for that price. "Okay. If you're willing to pay that much for each kid. I can."

"I'll pay anything." Nick admitted, grinning somewhat when I gave in. "I can afford it. You sure?"

I nodded.

"Then we'll do a tour next week."

I followed him inside, wondering how on earth we'd do baby and toddler stuff when I was still struggling to cope with 'bad werewolf-sorcerer man' stuff. Or if Matt would be jealous. Probably not... he was so used to this house, Kate and Logan, so used to that school, it wouldn't have been a good idea to take him away. He needed to change once a week as well.

We walked into a training session. Clayton was in the living room with the three big kids and the three triplets, and was literally teaching them to fight. It was adorable, in a way, except for the fact that he was teaching them to fight. He glanced up, giving me a 'you wanna stop me? Go ahead' challenge. I shrugged and slipped down to watch. Clayton taught the three big kids and the three toddlers copied. I should have been annoyed, maybe, but ...somehow I wasn't. I was very happy for Matt to learn it now and the triplets seemed to not be as interested in the fighting part as they were in just copying the big kids.

I'd already decided that Matt was going to go to karate when he turned ten. He'd asked and had been asking for a while now. This was just a... start.

"No news." Clayton said as he instructed them, eyes meeting mine, and then his eyes went down below us. I understood. Paige was still going. I had to give it to her. The woman downstairs would be exhausted by now.

Just in case, I checked, listening carefully in that direction as I passed the closed door. Nothing much was happening. I slipped into the staircase, taking a few steps down, but I could smell Elena and Paige there. The woman too. Clayton's scent was in the staircase. He'd clearly been here too.

"Anne?" Luca's voice came from the kitchen, looking for me, and I backed up slowly and headed back into the kitchen.

He turned around as I came in. "They released Demetruis. I wanted to tell you."

"What, why?" I gawked at him. It made no sense.

"He's the son of an influential woman and man and has done nothing wrong. " Lucas gave me an apologetic smile. "They had to."

"But ...the explosion! The kidnapping! They took Elena." I continued to gape. The news made no sense to me. He'd clearly done a lot wrong.

"Someone came in and confessed. I _know_-" He added, quickly, "- they were probably lying but they've confessed and taken it for him. They work for his mother, one of the security guards, he's claimed no knowledge of Elena actually being there till you made him get her."

So he was blaming someone else again. I crossed my arms, annoyed. "And my rape?"

"He claims you consented. You did make an agreement about a pregnancy and ...he's using that as proof that you agreed to the earlier sex."

"_Rape_. I was drugged. I couldn't give consent."

"I'm not saying you weren't raped. I'm saying that he can't be charged or imprisoned like his son. He's done nothing that can be tied to him. Every time we try there's a new person taking the fall for it who's connected to him somehow." Lucas seemed as frustrated about it as I was. "I'm sorry I can't give you better news. Is Elena around?"

"She and Paige are questioning the witches."

He nodded and sat down at the kitchen table. I sat down after a minute, flopping there, irritation at Demetruis returning with full force. "So where is he now?"

"It's hard to say. Not with his mother." He frowned. "He was released this morning and we lost sight of him again. It's better you know now."

My head swung up as Clayton came in. He'd heard every word from the look on his face, and looked furious. Lucas actually flinched a tiny bit.

There was nothing more we could say or do about it though. I went to bathe the triplets with Nick's help and put them into bed, leaving them with a bottle each of warm milk, and checked in. The twins were asleep, happy, and Antonio and Lillian were sitting in the sofa near our bed talking softly. Talking? Talking and doing something else. I suppressed a snort, decided I'd tell Antonio later, and backed off. It was pretty obvious why they wanted to watch the twins _alone_. I left them to it.

The sound of Elena's voice carried up suddenly and I realised they must have finished. I hurried downstairs, Nick still reading to the toddlers, as Clayton came from out of the living room.

I went to get Savannah, who was still working, her own methods apparently ...not like Paige. The witch in there looked fucked, there was no other word for it, like she had been tortured. There was no blood, but she stank of sweat and tears, and Savannah headed inside without a glance back. Adam didn't say a word as to what had happened.

"We're going to compare notes tonight. Reece, can you give them something to eat and drink? There's some soda bottles you can fill with water." Elena looked buggered when we came back. "Maybe a blanket too."

He nodded a fraction and vanished from the kitchen once he'd filled up some bottles of water. When he came back I was the target, Reece leaning against me, yawning.

Nick shoved him lightly and he refused to budge, yawning more pointedly, arms wrapping around my back. "I'm tired and she's soft. Bugger off."

Lucas told Elena what he'd told me as they got dinner out, soft, and she told him to leave the discussion till after the older kids were in bed. So we waited, Reece not going far from me for some reason, and made coffee. When Matt, Logan and Kate were asleep upstairs in his room we finally sat down in the living room... flopped was a better description... and compared notes as we drank large amounts of coffee. Antonio came down, Lillian stayed upstairs with the twins, Elena didn't want to worry her.

Paige told us how we could tell if we were under a spell, Lucas adding his part, and Savannah seemed the expert on dark magic. Dark magic was probably the most likely, she warned, but even 'white' magic could be used as a bad tool. Then they compared notes, Paige, Savannah and Elena, checking the stories.

"You okay?" I asked softly as Reece stayed close still.

"Daniella's refusing to come here. Says she's happy working." He muttered. "She's safer here."

"She'll have to decide." I sighed softly. It was Daniella again. She might have easily dismissed Reece but for him, clearly she was never far from his mind.

"They seem to match." Elena seemed puzzled though. "I mean, there's a few problems here and there, but they were much more willing to talk than let Clayton continue."

"They could have lied." Clayton reminded.

"Mine couldn't lie." Savannah spoke up, voice soft, Paige's back stiffening. "I made sure of it." The sight of the witch in the shed came back to me as she said it. There was a kind of darkness there, almost, as Savannah said the words.

"That possible?" Clayton asked, eyes going to Paige, who nodded stiffly. She didn't look at Savannah for a while after that.

"So it was just to get Elena's bounty?" Antonio asked softly.

"Seems like it. There was no sophistication in the attack, no planning, no backup. They were on their own. There's a bounty for the kids too now." Paige said quietly. "We've got the amount here."

Clayton swore and everyone went quiet. So it was really happening. The kids were wanted and we had to face it.

I went to get more drinks as they went over the figures for each of us, Nick quick to follow, his arms wrapping around my waist as I turned the machine on.

"Got a present for you." He kissed the back of my neck, holding up a box in one hand, his body molding into my back and chin on my head, fitting so easily like we were made to fit together like this. I opened it and saw it was that diamond necklace he'd given me. "I had it repaired as fast as they could do it. Can I put it on you?"

I nodded and he gently brushed hair out of his way, taking the chain of tiny sparkly stones and fixing it around my neck. Nick used it to trace a line around my neck, lips grazing skin, turning me around.

My head swung upstairs as I heard Lillian swear softly, her breathing faster, and headed away as I heard a soft thump on the ground. It wasn't really fair to leave the twins to her, not really, and they could fill me in. I could hear them starting to cry now, probably time for their next feed and change, and sighed softly.

"Your mum needs my help. Can you make the drinks?"

Nick kissed me gently and nodded, before letting me go, and I headed for the stairs.

When I got upstairs, she was on the ground, hand on her chest, cringing in pain. I heard it. Something about her heart was wrong.

"Lill-"

"It's nothing. Anxiety." She groaned, softly.

I knew it wasn't and panic flooded me. Shit... shit... shit... what did I do? CPR? Call Antonio? ...I didn't know what the fuck to do. My head was swimming with panic and it wasn't helping that the twins were now starting to cry in the background loudly. My head swung up as I saw Reece had followed me.

Reece knelt down beside her, glanced up at me, and told me calmly, "Call an ambulance."

I grabbed the phone, unable to stay calm like he was, trying to figure out what it was. Triple zero? Nope. Those numbers did not work. What was it here? In America? I knew it, I knew it was in the back of my head, but...

"Nine one one, Anne. Relax." Reece reached out with one hand to touch my leg as I got the numbers in. "It's going to be okay." His eyes went back to Lillian, who's jaw was clenched in pain, curled up around her chest as her breathing got worse.

Antonio appeared, suddenly, grabbing the phone out of my hand, his face draining with blood as he saw Lillian there. He took over as I stared at her. I was hopeless with this, Reece and Antonio so calm and collected compared to me, Lillian grasping Antonio's hand as he reassured her that they were already coming.

"What do you hear?" He glanced up at me. There it was, a flicker of panic, pushed right back and only showing in his eyes.

"Her heart's funny." I grimaced as I heard it go a bit stranger again. "It's worse now."

"It's just ..." But she didn't complete the sentence. I saw her eyes roll back. Her heart was still going though, going in that strange pace it was in, her hand clutching hard to her top.

Antonio pressed his hand to where her heart was, sudden, and relief flooded his face when he felt it still going. He spoke into the phone and tried to get her comfortable, the babies drowning out the voices on the other end, and I just knelt there. It was Clayton who got them out of the room, apparently also able to think, carrying them downstairs. I heard him say something about them sleeping in the cot downstairs or something but...

"It's coming." I said after a while, maybe two minutes, maybe twenty minutes, I didn't know... I heard it. Sirens. Someone was slumped beside me, I realised, Nick leaning against me, his face as panicked and overwhelmed as mine was. He must have been there a while. My arm was around his and his around mine. Some part of me had known he'd been there the whole time but the focus was on Lillian.

"It's okay, Lily. We're here." Antonio's words, words he had repeated a lot I'd realised, slipping into my head finally. I realised I was saying something similar without having any concious thought about it. Nick was just quiet. Shaking. His head pressed against the side of my head, leaning against me, using me for support.

Elena was the one who took them upstairs to us, and Antonio went with her, hopping in the ambulance, his hand not leaving hers. Not until I heard the fucking awful word, the word I NEVER wanted to hear when it was connected to someone's heart... 'Clear'. Only when they'd zapped her heart back into trying to pump blood did they move. The ambulance sped away, lights blinding our night vision, sound screaming into our ears long after it was gone, leaving us standing there in shock, Nick's fear drugging mine own into new heights. It had been so fast, or it'd felt it, though I doubted it really had been.

"We're driving." Nick said, glancing at me, and then to Elena. "The kids?"

"We've got it. _Go_." She reassured us. Clayton was coming out and tossing Nick keys.

We got into Nick's car and followed the ambulance as fast as Nick could drive.


	17. Exhaustion

Life was full of distractions.

Right now, even though we'd been attacked that morning, even though Demetruis was on the loose again, or a custody battle was threatening us, or that there were bounties on our heads, all we cared about was Lillian. All that mattered was Lillian. Nick's _mother_, who he'd only just started to get to know, was now in surgery and the three of us sat in a waiting area, the air weighing down with the tension, no one telling us anything. No one spoke. No one knew what to say, maybe, or maybe our faces were saying enough.

She wasn't young. I kept forgetting it _so easily_. It was a miracle she and Nick had met at her age. A miracle she was well and fit enough to be here, to go on that tour of ...wild flowers or something... to be able to walk around at all. Or maybe that was my bias opinion based off the fact that I'd never known my grandparents.

We didn't know what to expect.

Antonio vanished for a while with his cell as a nurse gestured for him to come. When he returned he told us that he'd called her children to let them know where she was and to come. He didn't say anything more than that. But if he was telling them to come now, if they had to fly out here from wherever they were now, I got the sense that it was extremely serious.

Nick's hand tightened in mine as Antonio moved to sit on the other side of him. He hadn't spoken a word since he'd asked Elena about the kids, but his fingers grasped mine, and he was holding his phone as he flipped through photos in it. Photos of her. Of the kids. Of me. Over and over, like those simple things could make her better, his breathing a little faster. Antonio watched him quietly, just as silent now, hand brushing across my shoulders as it went over Nick's shoulders.

"What is happening?" I finally asked it. Nick stiffened, but his eyes went to his dad, as if he'd been wanting to know but couldn't ask.

"Heart attack. She's in emergency surgery and I don't know much else. They told me to bring her family here." Antonio's face twisted with something, pain maybe, I wasn't sure. He just seemed overwhelmed. It wasn't common for werewolves to have problems like these. Apparently it hadn't been common for werewolves to live past forty before Clayton took over as pack protector, so maybe I was wrong, but it was a shock for all of us.

"Can't you bite her?" Nick finally spoke. His voice was soft, hurt, _angry_. And he seemed to regret asking, even a bit shocked that he'd asked it.

"You know I can't. You saw Elena. Remember, how angry you were with Clayton?" Antonio's voice was soft, arm now around Nick alone. "She's not dead. She's in surgery."

Nick grimaced. "I don't know why I asked. Sorry. I know."

I knew. He wanted her to live longer, wanted her to be around as long as his dad, and I couldn't blame him. They'd spent Nick's whole life, him and his mother, wondering about each other. Wishing they could be closer. Neither expecting to meet the other. And yet they had, and they'd gotten on, and she wanted to be as much of his life as he wanted her to be in his life. He'd gotten barely six months and now _this_ had happened.

I got snacks as the night dragged on, the hospital loud to my ears, the sound of machines, smell of chemicals throughout, and ...to my horror, the awareness suddenly that there was morphine _everywhere_. That thought drove cravings up, and up, and up... and I stuffed them all down with as much chocolate as I could get my hands on.

Antonio noticed, grasping my hand as he shifted onto my other side, maybe glad for a distraction. Nick didn't. He was just sitting there, ignoring the snacks, ignoring the drink, still stunned.

"If it gets too bad," Antonio said softly in my ear, "Get a taxi home."

"It's fine." I squeezed his hand. "I'm here for you two."

He went for a while, something about a walk, and Nick shifted closer to me in the plastic seats.

"When you died, she was there. With me all the time, never left my side, made me shave, got my clothing out for me, got me to eat and drink, she mothered me. Got me to sleep by talking to me, telling me stories about her life, about things she loved, anything. And I kept thinking about how I was before you." He didn't look at me as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, and I didn't interrupt. "Before you, I was happy. I was earning dad's respect, I had women whenever I needed or wanted them, nothing lasting. They moved on, knowing that there would be no strings attached, so I felt no guilt for using them. I don't regret that life. I realised that. I didn't regret living like that."

He went quiet again, for a while, fingering the rings around my finger. "I thought about how I could go back to living like that. I was free. And all I could think was how it was the worst thing now. It was depressing to go backwards, it wasn't freedom, it was ... It took me _fifty years_ to find you. The only woman I wanted to be around for more than a night. There wasn't going to be another you."

He played with his ring, face twisting with something painful, and for a long time Nick didn't speak. I saw it, the grief there that had been hidden, the hurt from thinking I'd died. After a while he gazed up at me, and there was a trace of panic there, grief, like he thought she was _already_ dead. "It was the same with her. I was fine without her. I wanted her but I could cope, I didn't know what I was missing, didn't have to pay attention to the holes in my life and I could deal with it. Wanting a mom but never having her. I _can't_ go back to that now. I was happy, I'm not saying I wasn't...but ...now that I've had her around, now that I've started to get to know her... there's not going back to that. Not in the same way. If I lost either of you, there'd be gaps no one can fill."

"She's going to be okay. We're both here." I didn't know what else to say. A lump was in my throat at the look in his face. He was like a kid again, so uncertain, so afraid. Nick pulled me over, and I slid into his lap, so he could snuggle into me and hold be against him.

"We don't know that."

I hesitated and he sighed, a long deep sigh, because I didn't know that. I couldn't say I did.

"I'm not going anywhere." I added, stroking his curls, running my fingers across his scalp and forehead, gentle calming motions that usually helped him relax. It worked a fraction.

"I miss your smell." Nick admitted quietly. "Your heart. Everything. That treatment keeps tempting me."

"We'll go for a run. Soon. I promise." I had to, I itched, but I was putting it off for him. We'd have to go sooner than later.

"We had to go tonight, didn't we?" He muttered against my shoulder.

I nodded and Nick sighed, a long deep sigh, standing up slowly as I stood up. "Let's find Dad. It could take hours. As long as he's here when she wakes I can ..."

"We don't have to." I tried, but he shook his head.

"Your smell _will_ help. We'll go, Dad will rest here, then we'll come back. Surgery isn't fast."

We found Antonio outside, staring at the sky, his head turning to us as we came out. He nodded a fraction, sighed, standing.

"I'll find out how long before you go." He went inside, us waiting outside, and came back out. "It's going to be a few more hours at least. Probably longer. I'll be here. Go."

We drove out into the bush and changed, careful to stay hidden, the two of us struggling with the change as much as the other. My body craved it, itched and ached for it, but the worry for Lillian, Nick, Antonio, it flogged up my mind. He managed to finish it a few minutes before I did and waited patiently just out of sight.

When I was done, we didn't hunt, we didn't run for a while, just curled up together, his body pressed against mine, nose drinking in the scent he'd been denied for far too long. How long? Weeks? It had to be ages now. I nuzzled him, licking his face, grooming him as he curled up beside me, ears down, tail down, just lying there. When he made no move to get up I hunted for us both, one ear on him at all times, the other on finding something. Rabbits were easy, I caught one without a problem, and brought it back to him.

When we'd filled our stomachs somewhat, we returned to snuggling against each other in the darkness, comforting each other with the intimacy that came with this form. As a wolf we didn't have the same human notions of 'hiding' or 'burying' things. Nick was afraid, already grieving, and he showed it openly. I stayed with him.

He fell asleep after a while and the change back started. I stayed close, back on him, but kept my ears on him at all times. When he was done, I curled up beside him, snuggling against him for a second longer, nothing awkward in my mind about his human body against my fur one, before I moved back to start my own change.

It was easier, sort of, and faster. Once the pain of it had gone I got up slowly, dressing, and got Nick to get up and get dressed. No time for sex after this one, no need for it, it had been about comfort. Nick wrapped his arms around me when his pants were on, his shirt in my hands still, leaning against me. He frowned as he realised he'd lost my scent all over again, a long deep sigh, and I waited till he was ready to go till we headed back for the car.

Antonio was back in the waiting area now, and shook his head. No news yet. Nick flopped beside him, tugging me back into his lap, his forehead flopping on my arm.

The nurse came back seconds after we did. "She's awake now. You can go see her."

Nick stood up fast, I nearly fell off his ass, and the three of us followed the nurse into the recovery area. Hospitals always set me on edge, I wasn't sure why, and this one in particular. Or maybe it was because this was where Lillian was. Antonio saw Lillian long before we did, somehow, as if they were fixed to each other at this moment. He inhaled sharply and when I got closer I saw why. Not just saw, I _smelt_ why, smelt the smell of blood and internal organs mixing with the smell of hospital. She wasn't closed up yet.

Wait, what?

"Is she..."

"Lillian is going to be transferred to New York in an hour. She's fine for now but the surgery wasn't successful. She requires a specialist." The nurse, or maybe she was a doctor, I didn't know now, went to sit nearby and watch us. She added, "She's all right to talk but _don't_ excite her."

"I'm awake still, you know." Lillian muttered from under the oxygen mask.

"Lily?" Antonio moved closer, his eyes avoiding the chest where it was covered up, stroking her face. She opened her eyes slowly, struggling against a wave of whatever pain meds they'd put her on to keep her happy while her ribcage was cracked open, and smiled faintly at him.

"What happened?"

"Heart attack." He tried to smile, tried to make it seem like less than what it really was, but it was huge. "Did they talk to you?"

"Something about surgery again. New York. I think so, yes." She was becoming more lucid all the time and gazed around at us sitting around her. "Did you call my other kids?"

"They said they'd be here as fast as they can." He leaned down to stroke her hair, so careful around the chest, Antonio's own heart rate fast even as he looked calm. "When it's done you're staying with me in New York. You can recover in my house."

"Your dad's house?" Her lips twitched as she shut her eyes. There was a slight pained look there a moment. "Remember what we did in the cottage?"

"I remember. I think Nick was conceived there."

He laughed softly. Nick stiffened, but he tried to smile too, as I squeezed his hand.

"I thought it was in your car." She tried to argue, a small smile, as if they'd already had this argument. Maybe they'd teased each other during those few months they'd had after they ran away.

The sound of voices coming this way... not just a few, but a small crowd...hit my ears and I swung my head in that direction. The nurse, or doctor, or whatever she was... looked a bit startled. The three of us weren't going to excite Lillian. But there were a lot of feet coming.

"I can hear them." Lillian tried to sit up and Antonio pushed her back down, firmly, shaking his head.

"Don't move, love. You have to stay still."

Nick's hand tightened around mine and I moved closer to him. Just then the voices became the people that had concerned the nurse nearby. Two men and two women came into the room, three kids, the girl around ten, a boy maybe six or seven, the other boy in his teens following them.

"Mum, are you all right? We came as soon as we could." One of the men glanced at Antonio and then to us. "Who is this?"

"This is Nick. My son. And this is Antonio, his father." Some spark of energy came into Lillian's face now. She introduced them to us and we stared at each other.

They looked similar to Nick. He was a copy of Antonio, more or less, but there were traces of Lillian in both him and these grown ups. Jawline the same in one. Same frown line. Their taller leaner bodies than Antonio's stocky body. One of the women had eyes remarkably close to Nick's shade.

"This is Kenneth, Charlie, Alicia and April. And my grand children, Krista, Steve and Brian. Kids, this is Nick, his wife, and Antonio." Lillian pointed them out with the hand that had a heart monitor on it, arm flopping back when she was done, the nurse reminding her to _relax_. "So many. I'm glad you're all here. I wish it was a better place to meet."

"Can we talk with you alone?" The oldest of them spoke, Kenneth, as he glanced at us. There was mistrust there. A lot of it. "Or sit with you alone?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you all together. Nick and his children have been included in my will now." Lillian told the other adults. As she spoke, she spoke slowly, needing to breathe, and no one interrupted her. "I made the changes a few weeks ago and have been waiting for you all to meet to let you know."

There was actually disbelief and hurt there in their faces, as they stared at Nick and Antonio. One of the women, Alicia with Nick's eyes, asked in disbelief, "You're giving them Dad's money?"

"_My_ money."

I saw it, they were now looking at Nick with more suspicion, eyes going over his face, his body, his much more youthful appearance. He could have passed for a younger age than her oldest son.

"Thought you said he was in his fifties." Kenneth snapped, eyes narrow, as if he was thinking that Nick must have been an imposter. "You sure it's him?"

Nick flinched at the gazes directed at him and I felt like stepping between them but his hand remained in mine and kept me there. He tried to smile. This was a bit overwhelming for him, I guessed, so I tried to relax for him. They were overwhelmed too, most likely, they'd only known about him for a few months.

"This is his father." Lillian gave them a look, though it failed, and she grasped Antonio's hand tighter. I could see the pain in her face as she saw that the mixing of her two families wasn't going as well as she'd hoped.

Antonio stayed where he was, shoulders squared, stroking her hand slowly. There was that same disbelief- Antonio could have passed for Nick's age- and then the wonder if Antonio was Nick.

"Mom, maybe you should get ...checked. Alzheimers isn't uncommon at your age and anyone can take advantage of it." That was Kenneth again, fixing Antonio with the same look of disdain that he'd given Nick. "Did you do a DNA test with this man?"

That pissed me off all over again. They were more or less accusing Nick and Antonio of either scamming Lillian or Antonio being her real son. That was just messed up on all levels. Not just that but se was lying there, chest cut open, drugs screwing with her head, and somehow she was able to stay concious and calm enough to talk to them. I wasn't sure if I could manage that much if I was in her situation. But it was a messed up time to be harassing her about problems with her brain or accusing Nick of not being her child.

"She's got enough memory to remember what Antonio looked like." I snapped, I couldn't help it, and felt the heated gaze on me. Bugger. That was right, I looked eighteen, with a man who looked like he was in his thirties, and ...their eyes even flashed to the diamonds around my neck. They wanted to find villains in us. It made it easier for them.

"And you are..."

"My daughter in law. This is Anne, Nick's wife. Stop it. My mind is _fine_." As much as Lillian was trying to stay angry, I could see it, that she was struggling. "Antonio and I..."

"If he really is who he claims he is, where's his birth certificate?" Kenneth couldn't help himself, he cut her off, channelling all his fear for her into anger towards us.

"...are going to have a renewal of wedding vows in a week." Lillian ignored the interruption, her hand squeezing Antonio's hand, as he bent lower over her. It was the instinct to protect her. She breathed out slow, deep, eyes fluttering shut again now, but she forced them open to add, "I sent the invites earlier today."

"And if you don't stop harassing your mother, I'll have to get you all escorted out." That was the nurse, standing up, angry as she saw Kenneth open his mouth again. "She's just had open heart surgery. Lillian, sleep. The rest of you. _Out_. If you want to know about your mother, the nurse at the desk will be happy to explain anything _else_ until visiting hours are back."

That made the older son angry. He glared at us again, turned his back, and left the room with the grand kids following. She watched him go, grief breaking on her face, as her other kids hesitated and followed their older brother. All except for the teenager. He was actually _glaring_ at the adults. Then he shifted closer to kiss his grandmother on the forehead.

"Don't worry, Grandma, I believe you. Dad's an as-"

"_Steve_."

"Sorry but he is right now." Steve's scowl reminded me of Nick's rare one. He glanced up at Nick and then Antonio. "I see it. I'll be at your thing. Even if I have to run away." He finally went to follow his dad, still angry, the rebellion in his face would have been kind of amusing if it wasn't for the pained look on Lillian's face.

Lillian squeezed Antonio's hand as he stared at their backs. "They'll just need to get used to the shock."

"And you-" The nurse said, quietly, from the corner. "-Need _less_ strain on your heart. Everyone else will have to leave. She'll be ." She'd calmed down though, her shoulders relaxed, clearly less concerned about us than the others.

"Except me." Antonio said, standing up straighter. "I'm staying here."

"Are you her legal husband or just a partner? Because we can't let you stay otherwise."

He hesitated.

It was Lillian who answered. "Yes."

Antonio stared down at her then, surprise there, as he understood what she was saying. "You never ..."

"If you didn't, I didn't. Why did you think I was happy to renew vows?" She smiled weakly, shutting her eyes. "He is. Has been for over five decades. Let him stay. You two go home. I'll see you when it's over."

Nick hesitated, grasping her hand, and she squeezed it. "It's all right. Go home and sleep. Bring me some photos of the kids in the morning."

"We'll be back tomorrow. As soon as they let us in." Nick promised. His hands were shaking as they clasped her hand.

"We will." I promised and took Nick's hand, leading him away, wondering if ...it was the usual fears, if she'd survive, if we'd see her again, if she'd even make it to next week... but people survived heart attacks all the time. Surgery too. Didn't they?

Nick didn't say a word the drive back. I got a call from Clayton and Elena as we were pulling out of Syracuse.

"Hi, what is it?"

It wasn't Clayton, it was Elena. "Hi. What's going on?"

I sighed softly. Antonio must not have called them. "Lillian's come out of surgery. Transferring her to New York for more surgery. Something about her heart. That's all we know."

"And you're at the hospital still?"

"No, we're coming home." I glanced at the time on the phone. It was about five in the morning. Somehow we'd have to get to New York with the babies. I felt a inkling of dread at that realisation. On a plane you had to have one adult per child. We needed five adults.

Elena sighed. But when she spoke again, her voice was lower, and there was an edge in it that made my heart beat just a fraction faster. "You may need to stay home tomorrow."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I'll explain when you get here. If I have to, myself and Clayton will go with Nick tomorrow. He won't be on his own. I'll see you in a while."

She let me argue, she hung up, and I saw that Jeremy was already working his way into the hospital. I turned and hurried back inside as he pulled up, going to find Nick and Antonio.

Nick glanced up as I hung up, dumbfounded, and a little annoyed even. "What's going on? Is there a problem at home?"

"Elena said I'd probably have to stay home tomorrow. I can't go with you. But I'm going to damn well try my hardest to." I added, sharply, as his hand found mine in the dark car.

"Why?"

"She wouldn't say." I muttered.

Nick's lips pressed together. He didn't talk for a long time on the drive back but I could almost hear his mind working out ...an argument, or a plea, or something.

Finally, when he did talk, it wasn't the words I was expecting. He said it quietly. "She must have a reason."

"I want to be there for you."

"So do I. Want you there. But... Elena doesn't do things without a reason." He was tense, upset, and he squeezed my hand harder, drawing both hands up so he could rub an itchy spot on his face.

We arrived in time for a breakfast. I had to guess it was one for us, mostly things the two of us liked, but Nick just picked at his food till Elena made it clear he wasn't flying anywhere without eating every last bite. He did as she told without complaint. Just ate.

"So I can't go?"

"You can't." Elena didn't expand on why. She just pushed a plate of food at me. "Clayton is going with Nick."

Nick's head swung up slightly then, eyes meeting Clayton's eyes, but Clay didn't seem surprised. They must have agreed on it earlier.

"Is that a good idea with the attacks?"

"There's two witches, one sorcerer, one half-demon and couple of full strength werewolves here, not including Matt. She'll be fine." Clayton spoke up. "Nick and Antonio need protection."

He was right of course. While the two of them were vulnerable, it made sense for them to have someone, but … "Why not me?"

"Think you can keep unemotional right now?" He asked, eyes fixing in mine, and I hesitated. Clayton had me there. I was anything _but_ unemotional. When I shook my head a fraction, Clayton glanced at Nick. "I'm going to stay with them."

I sighed, softly, and let it go. Nick had already accepted it and I _had_ to stop pushing. It wasn't making it any easier for him.

"The flight to New York leaves in about three hours. Eat, pack, and the two of you can head off again." Elena spoke quietly, pushing printed tickets to the two of them. Nick hurried then, tried to eat faster, not speaking a word still.

He headed upstairs and I went to follow but Elena grabbed my hand and sat me back down. "You, the reason you can't go, is because we need you here."

"Because I'm too emotional?"

"Because you can use that emotional side to protect everyone here." She replied, voice low now. "I know his mother's important to him. But we've got a big problem here right now. The pack can't split up any more than it is."

"So back to business? Fighting, and torture and..."

"Yes." Clayton spoke up. He pushed his plate away and went to sneak food off Elena's plate. "It's blinding you to the bigger picture. You stay here, I'll go with Nick, we do our jobs to protect the pack."

I wanted to argue with that but instead, I sighed again, letting that anger go, and Elena relaxed her hand on my arm. They were right. We had some big fucking problems right now. I knew that if it was any other time, if nothing else was happening, they wouldn't have even considered making me stay home when Nick was there.

"You better go help him pack. I want him to be gone before the triplets wake and make it complicated." Elena said quietly. I glanced at the clock, they would be awake within half an hour, and got up quickly.

When I got to the bedroom, Nick was packing up and down, frustration all over his face.

"You want some help?"

He shook his head and went to the wardrobe, the doors wide open, trying to find something to wear. I watched Nick go through his wardrobe, rejecting everything he saw, frustration all over his face.

"Did you ever buy me anything to wear?"

"I figured there was no point. You know what you like." I usually had no clue about what fashions there were or anything and Nick always had too much, it seemed.

He started to throw things on the ground, rejecting them. "I need something ...normal. Casual. Something that isn't ..." Nick growled. "Too much designer."

I suddenly got it. The last time they'd seen us, they'd taken one look at us and assumed we were gold diggers. "Is this because they thought..."

"They have to see I'm _not_ like that. Are you sure you never bought me anything?"

I shook my head again, he scowled, and went back to digging in the wardrobe. Only a few things got flung onto the bed with the bag.

"This isn't about the will, is it? What she said to them and how they assumed we were in it for her money?"

The look Nick shot at me, as his head swung up suddenly, made me wish I hadn't said that. He was so angry at the words that I flinched, stepping back even, the expression on his face not one I ever wanted to see on him. "Of course it's not about the fucking money."

"Sorry. I know." I broke the eye contact, guilt running through me, as his anger continued to burn at me. I'd gotten that wrong, that was for sure. "It's about them. Isn't it?

"The only one out of the entire fucking lot of them who believes us is a teenager who probably likes anything his father hates. I don't care about the stupid will. I... thought it'd be different when she told me. I thought they'd be as happy about me as I was about them." He growled, throwing another shirt aside, and stormed out of the room.

I heard him go into Clayton's room and go through the wardrobe in there. Clayton wasn't one who cared about fashion.

"Nick, I'm sorry. I didn't think about what I was saying." I followed him to the doorway as he tried to find something he could wear. Clayton was quickly beside me, arms crossed, watching Nick.

"What's he doing?"

"Trying to look normal. Unfashionable." I muttered.

Clayton's lips twitched as he watched Nick go through his things. "You want some help there with my things?"

"I'm fine." Nick moved past us, without a look to me or Clayton, arms full of stuff. Clayton raised an eyebrow.

I sighed and followed him. I helped him pack, though he had more than enough stuff in New York, and he didn't say anything to either of us as Clayton flopped onto the bed and watched him.

"That's Elena's." Clayton commented, as Nick shoved a sweater into the suitcase, and Nick didn't answer. He was packing something of mine too. "And Anne's. You going drag?"

"No. I just want them with me." He replied, zipping up the small case, and dropping it on the ground. "Where's our spare photos?"

I went to get them from the drawer in the desk downstairs, sorting out as many photos as I could in a hurry, while Nick waited impatiently behind me. The fear and anxiety and hurt, all of it was stressing him out big time, and he stiffened when I went to wrap my arms around his neck and draw him down. But I ignored that. I made him come down for a kiss, kissing until he finally returned it, his muscles relaxing a fraction after a few minutes.

"It's going to be okay." I murmured against his ear. I hoped it would be, so much, I hoped I was right. "Call me. Any time. You know I'll be there to answer. I love you."

"Love you too." Nick muttered. He sighed, leaned harder against me, face buried in my shoulder. Then he took the photos as he stood up and slid them into the side pocket of the suitcase. Nick didn't answer. He glanced at Clayton, who had no suitcase but just a duffel bag over one shoulder, and the two of them left with quick farewells to the bigger kids.

Elena and I watched them leave and she rubbed her head, sighing out, one of her hands coming over to stroke my arm as she turned around. I didn't stop watching till the last trace of their car had faded from my ears.

"Come on. We need to go over what you missed." She pulled gently at my arm and I sighed, nodded, and followed her into the study. Back to work.

"So are the stories the same?" I asked as I sat down on the sofa beside her. "Still?"

"Both witches killed themselves overnight." Elena said the words quietly. "Paige is going to be at Stonehaven for a few days. But yes. We're pretty sure that they worked alone."

Pretty sure wasn't as good as 'one hundred percent sure' but I didn't say that. Instead I took the notes and read them.

"There's a possibility of more attacks. More serious ones, if people are addicted to the treatment and are running out of money, so we're being careful." Elena nodded. She glanced up as the door opened slightly and Jeremy came in, sliding it shut behind him, putting a baby monitor down near us.

He hugged me, and we stared at the list. Elena yawned and stood up.

"I really need to try and sleep now."

"What do you need me to do?" I stood up too.

"Cook breakfast for the house. Clean up laundry. Keep an eye out."

Be a mum in other words. I nodded, she vanished out the door, I heard her heading upstairs to collapse in the guest room. We were pretty crowded again, I realised with amusement, but ...it was safer this way.

Jeremy caught my own yawn. "You didn't sleep much, did you?" He asked as I folded the papers up.

"I can last a while longer. I'll put these on the shelf out of the triplet's way." I stood up and put them between a couple of books, a bookmark marking where they were for us, and he nodded as he got where we'd stuck them. "What ...will you do with them?"

"The witches? We had to bury them." He didn't smile or frown, just sat there, looking a bit tired himself. We'd had to do that far too much. "_I'll_ make breakfast and you can get straight onto something else once the triplets are up and dressed. The faster we get the jobs done the better."

I nodded and we went to do our separate jobs.

The triplets were sleeping in, to my relief, curled up in their cots still without us having time to get their room ready. The twins were already awake and smelt freshly changed and fed, which meant Jeremy or someone must have already been here, they smiled as my face appeared over the edge. I managed to get the first load of laundry done before the triplets woke up and they apparently had not realised we had gone- there was no anxiety about where I was that day... or at least, there was _less_ anxiety...

Not from my end though. I kept checking the new phone in my pocket obsessively. Nick? Nope. Clayton? Nothing. Reece threatened to take it away but that would not have helped much with the anxiety. I might have been there anyway, in full blown panic mode, but I knew Elena was getting updates. She showed me them. Just simple ones. 'At airport.'. Or 'Getting on plane.' If I wasn't so stressed about Nick and Demetruis I might have laughed at Clayton's short fast updates. You didn't normally need all that information but she wanted to be sure that there was nothing strange going on. She needed to know where her pack was positioned.

That was what I assumed anyway. I didn't usually look over Elena's shoulder when she got texts from Clayton. Maybe he'd always been like this. I seriously doubted it though.

Nick hadn't been wrong though about the triplets being jealous of the twins. Jeremy cooked but besides that, he didn't help, and I was seeing it first hand. They didn't like me to give attention solely to the twins. Matt was fine, so long as he was paying attention to them, which he usually did.

I pushed that problem into the back of my mind as the day inched on, filled with screaming, 'He hit me' or 'she hit me', food, protests that the bigger ones wanted nappies again, more laundry, more dishes, and general chaos that had me curled up in the kitchen as they finally started to play nicely in front of a movie. I never wanted to be one of those mums who made the TV a babysitter but right now? They could wriggle with the Wiggles as much as they wanted while I tried to sneak a feed in for the twins and cook some sort of dinner.

And still no news by then. Nothing. Apparently Nick had gone to work today, after all, much to Clayton's annoyance. Clayton had to go back between the hospital and Nick's work, keeping an eye on both men, _and_ put up with the city.

It felt like the entire world had gotten blocked up somehow, trapped, stuck in this situation. Us, almost hostage in our own land, and more and more out there getting addicted to the treatments. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if Elena knew either. A mutt causing problems? We could cope with that.

The worst part was knowing something was wrong and yet having no battle to fight. I could chase down Demetruis, I knew, but how would I leave the house when no one was here?

I sighed, rubbed my head as I tried to get the triplets to bathe for bed, the entire day one long exhausting torment. They wanted to know where Daddy was. I had to tell them he'd gone for work. At least they were used to that, more or less, used to Nick leaving for several days while I was here.

When the day was over, when Matt was asleep, the twins more or less asleep and satisfied for a few hours, I collapsed into the bed across it the wrong way with a groan, stared at my phone again, eyes so strained that they were throbbing and the nausea was back again.

Finally, I called Antonio, trying to fight sleep long enough. No answer from him either. Tried Clayton. No answer. Nick, no answer. Not just that- the phone just cut off, so I had to assume their batteries had died or the phones were off. If they were in the hospital they might have to turn them off. When I was younger and Susie's husband had been in and out with cancer, I'd gone with her a lot of the time, and there was usually places the phones weren't allowed.

I was tempted to get up and find Elena, only to remember she was asleep at Stonehaven tonight, Jeremy, Savannah and Adam were here tonight. So I texted her that they weren't answering and passed out, phone dropping somewhere behind the bed, too tired to be fucked about fishing it out again right now.

Sleep dragged me under, deep under, and there were no dreams like usual, nothing except the immense sense of exhaustion and need to stay there a while.

Someone woke me, shaking me gently, and I woke to see Lily there. Fully dressed, wide awake, early morning sunlight through the window.

Oh shit, the twins. The triplets. I sat up fast, sliding out of bed, panic setting adrenaline at an all time high as I rushed across to the twins.

Neither of them were there.

"Germy has them." Lily told me, very matter of fact, and led me out of the bedroom. Germy? She'd never called Jeremy anything except Grand woof. That had been Nick's doing, he'd found it hilarious to get the triplets to call him that. Antonio was Grandpa and Jeremy was Grand woof.

"Germy?"

"Grand woof." She informed me very seriously, then she wandered back to her room once she'd finished her mission, joining her siblings. Adam and Savannah were in there playing and they gazed up, a bit guilty as they saw me stumbling up.

"Jeremy told us to let you sleep in. Sorry. She must have slipped out when we weren't looking." Savannah smiled sheepishly. "He's got the babies downstairs."

"Any news?"

A shake of her head.

I hurried downstairs then, jumping over the toddler gate, still in my clothing from yesterday. Jeremy was in the study. He gazed up as I came in.

"How are you this morning?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to sleep like that." I flushed as I saw them lying happily beside him under a baby arch thing, grasping and touching the toys above their heads, no sign of distress there. "Did they wake you?"

"They woke everyone except you." Reece's voice came from behind me as he rested his chin on my shoulder, prodding my back, yawning a huge yawn.

I felt guilt again at that, and the words 'you won't cope' or something like that from Nick returning to haunt me. Fuck. But of course I could cope. It'd just been a long day.

"We meant for you to get a nap yesterday." Jeremy said softly and patted the seat beside him. I flopped there, reaching over to play with Rose, who was awake and grasping for the mobile above her. "Did you get anyone?"

"I haven't tried this morning. Second I realised they weren't in the room..." I paused. Horror flooded through me. "Why, is she..."

"She's out of surgery and is going to be in hospital for a while."

I breathed out, chest crumbling, relief flooding through me. She'd gotten through it. Not just for me, but for Nick and Antonio too. "I wish I could have been there."

"Nick worked and Antonio coped. You did what you had to do here." Jeremy stroked my back as I flopped over, leaning against me.

The smell of food drifted into the room as Reece returned, I hadn't noticed he'd gone, and he put the hot plate into my lap.

I tried to call Nick as the day went on. No answer, nothing, not a single return call either. He was stressed out, I knew that, but I wished he'd ...I didn't know. Call me. That would have been a nice start.

The next few days were slightly easier than this one, though there was no news from Nick directly, and I used the nights to catch up on sleep or washing or … sleep. _Glorious_ sleep.

Elena had wanted me here to work, to chase down Demetruis, I wasn't sure, but in the end I was the one caring for the five little kids and the three bigger ones while everyone else did it. I helped- I used the 'string sense' to sort of find a random location. I knew what 'Miami' felt like in terms of distance from the last experience and eh had been there once, which had Clayton leave Nick and meet Karl down there to go check it out, but by the time they'd gotten there Demetruis had moved on. Other than that, I had 'directions', and they had sightings to go off. Not many. But two sightings in two days, as well as my 'string sense' of him, it was something.

Not just that, but Demetruis's mother Rose had also moved cities, which was another clue. Lucas had no news for me on the custody battle and warned me it could be several weeks before any of us even heard anything official on it.

Nick didn't call. Antonio called, promising to talk to Nick each time, reassuring me that he was fine. Just distant. He was coping with his worry by working all day, mostly dealing with clients apparently, and going out and collapsing late in the night again. He came to see Lillian during his lunch breaks if he wasn't with a client and refused to let his father give him more time off.

But he was puzzled as to why Nick wasn't at least returning messages. Clayton couldn't help much with that either- he didn't want to get involved and he wasn't spending all his time in New York with the chase of Demetruis on.

And soon my 'week' would be over and it'd be Demetruis's week 'off'. Which meant I was not going to be leaving the house all that much, even if I wasn't technically interesting to him now, but I did have the twins and no one knew for sure if he'd come find them or if he'd back off.

Maybe that was why Elena didn't want me to leave the house. Maybe she'd hoped I'd get some rest and strength for next week. With so many little ones..._ fucking hell. _That was a nice dream. Not only was preschool a wonderful dream but so was the 'tubes tied' dream. Before the twins, I'd sort of toyed with the idea, been thinking 'Maybe in ten years...' and now I was determined that was it. They were it. Unless Nick wanted another, unlikely, but who knew. But she did reassure me that the second that day started, I would not be on my own as much, and whoever was with me _would_ be expected to help. So I was dreading it and looking forward to it all at once.

It wasn't till the fourth day, the night before the week was up, after another hectic but not quite as overwhelming day of being mum on my own with the backup Reece offered for the afternoon and evening shifts, that I was getting into the shower and realised I _still_ had the diamond necklace on. I slipped it off and got into shower, sighing as the hot water pounded against aching muscles, wishing showers came with a 'sit on and fall asleep' feature if you pressed a button. Yawn. Stand there like a zombie. Yawn. Shut eyes and lean against cold tiles. Remember that showers usually involved some kind of scrubbing ritual with that little block of stuff. Yawn, stand, start ritual. _Slowly_.

The phone suddenly started to ring, and I rushed out, skidding on the ground and crashing with a huge bang into the side of the cabinet. Something in it gave way, the entire bloody door breaking down the middle, and something in me giving way just as spectacularly. Skin? Bone? I smelt blood and was afraid to look, the pain making me groan and bite my lip till it split as well, which somehow helped deal with the pain in my foot and ankle. I groaned, eyes shut and I wasn't sure when I'd shut them, and sat there for a while.

I'd woken the twins up though, both of them crying, the phone still going for it on the bed, and I wasn't moving. Not to get up, not for anything, wishing I'd have been smart enough to _not rush on wet tiles_. Damn it. The entire world was falling apart and I wasn't thinking enough to remember what happened when bare feet met wet smooth surface.

"Hi Nick. Hang on a sec, she's dismantling the bathro... Bugger." A voice and scent came through the haze of 'ow, that was fucking idiotic...' and Reece knelt down beside me. "She has a nice body. Shame she's breaking it." He dropped a towel across me, the rough dry fabric over wet skin. "Nick. We'll call you back."

That was Reece. I opened one eye, twisting head in his direction, still refusing to see what burnt so damn badly. "How bad?"

"Bad enough."

I glanced down and saw what made him cringe and look so white faced. Nothing broken, I had to guess, but it had gone right through the bathroom door. Jagged panes of glass from the frosted glass in the cabinet door had stuck themselves in me like a pin cushion, some long and narrow, some not so narrow, but it was pretty awful looking. Now that I was looking I couldn't ignore the smell of blood and ...ow. Who's idea had it been to put glass panels in doors?

"What happened?" He grabbed another towel and was easing the leg out, slowly, pressing the towel hard around the spots I'd glassed myself beautifully. The ankle itself looked swollen too but who could blame it for that?

"Nick rang so I ran. _Ow_."

"We're gonna need some help with this. Here. Hold this and I'll try and calm your babies down." He made me press on the towel, the red bleeding into the white fabric, and vanished as he tried to talk to the babies, tried to calm them down, I heard him.

"Sing to them."

"No bloody way."

"They like songs." I cringed and tried to loosen grip but that was as bad an idea. Didn't we have first aid stuff in here? We should have- I was obsessive about it. I twisted my body around to grasp onto the leg with one hand and get my hand inside the broken cabinet, finding the box. Okay. "Where is everyone?"

"Don't know. I think they went out." Reece called and I heard him attempt. He was great at a lot of things but singing? He was _awful_. Totally tone deaf. And it just didn't do a thing. "That isn't working."

"That's because _that_ isn't singing." I cringed as I lifted the towel. Okay, it was really fucking... how deep was that glass embedded in me? "Put some music on. Actually, I need the first aid kit from the kitchen and I need your help in here."

"Anne, I'll face mutts for you, lizards, giant dinosaurs, even terrible two headed shark movies, but I can't help you with that ankle." He was suddenly ...afraid? I wasn't sure, his voice was weird suddenly, like it spooked him. Music came on and then he vanished downstairs for a while. I couldn't answer, not until he was back, and Reece added fast as he slipped it around the corner, "I'm not Jeremy. You're my best friend and I _can't_ look at that. I'm feeling giddy just thinking about it."

"It can't be that bad." I glanced at it and... it looked bad. But that was only because it had giant slices of frosted glass sticking out and they may not have been deep. I wasn't sure- I just wanted an extra pair of hands just in case. It hurt like hell but that didn't make it bad. In fact, my bum hurt too, and there was no glass in there. So what was bothering him? "We've seen worse than this, Reece, we've done worse than this..."

"Yeah, in mutts. Mutts we don't know or like. I don't ...I _can't_ help you with that. Okay. Music for these two."

I grimaced as I tried to lean closer and get the towel pressed down. Hadn't Daniella said something about this? He didn't like to be rough with her. Reece's problem with pain apparently extended to me too now. I tugged the kit open and slowly, pressing hard on the first cut, withdrew the glass. This one wasn't deep.

A sound downstairs caught my attention as I focused on pulling the big pieces of the glass out. The good news about that door I'd shattered was that apparently the glass didn't 'shatter'. It broke into large pieces instead. I wasn't sure if I'd imagined the noise or not, Reece's attempts at soothing the babies and the music overwhelming it, and I carefully pulled each large piece out with a low hiss. Some were much deeper than others. Number one two in bathroom, right behind the number one rule about not running on wet floors, don't put your foot through a glass cabinet. Stupid idea. At least I hadn't liked them anyway. I tossed each piece of glass inside the cabinet as they were pulled out, twisting my leg around so I could get to the bottom of my foot, the last pieces easily tugged out. My toe bled the worst out of all of it- it'd been more or less impaled by a three inch long shard that went a quarter inch in.

"Fuck." I muttered.

"I tried Jeremy. No answer." Reece said softly. "How bad?"

"It'll be fine in a few days." Fine, as in it would be healing, but I wondered if I'd get Jeremy to stitch them up when I could. Butterfly bandages were going to have to work for now under a bigger one. "Did you hear anything?" I asked Reece as he moved to stand next to the bathroom door, only his arm visible, but he was still unwilling to look.

"Not a thing, why?"

I started to cover it with the ointment and the cuts with big sized plasters once the butterfly ones were on. "Thought I heard something." Six cuts and some tiny ones that didn't matter. The ankle itself was swelling too. I squeezed it, cringing as I did, but felt nothing inside broken or out of place. The 'quick use' icepack was stuck on it only when I got the bandage wrapped around it.

"Maybe it was the triplets." Reece seemed uncertain though. "Wait a second, I'll check." He left again, I heard him go quietly down the hall, but there was no noise to meet my ears when he opened the door.

Funny, I suddenly thought, that they hadn't reacted to the bang I'd caused. The twins were more likely to react, sure, but the triplets were on the other side of this wall.

And it was really quiet in there.

"They're not here." He called. "Did Jeremy say that he was taking them to Stonehaven?"

He might have, I thought, after how I'd been last night. He hadn't said he would though. "Call him again. Call Elena. Clayton. Someone will know. Can I have my phone?" The panic I tried to shove down ebbed and waned, as if it was an ocean that was just threatening to go crazy under me, and I tried to focus again on practical things. Putting plaster wrappers in bin, throwing broken glass into the cabinet, things like that. The sad thing was that this wasn't the first time I'd done this. The last time hadn't been as spectacular but there was a reason this was the last glass cabinet in the bathroom. I'd accidentally smashed the other one by doing the exact same thing only with a knee into cabinet. This was why I hated glass in things like cabinets and coffee tables. They were begging to be smashed.

"Clayton's in New York. Or somewhere not here." Reece reminded me. He came around, his face draining of blood again as he caught sight of the scarlet blood all over the floor and door, but handed me the phone. "Shit."

"It wasn't that bad. Feet bleed a lot." I smiled weakly. "Help me onto the bed and we'll do our calling. Clayton will know where Elena is, probably."

Panic flooded up a little, but only until Reece had helped me stand up and hobble out of the bathroom. I stood there as he dropped a dress over my head, careful to not stare, and we sat down.

He tried Jeremy and I tried Nick. Nick didn't answer. Fucking typical. Jeremy did answer though. Reece and Jeremy spoke for just a second before Reece and Jeremy told me the same thing.

"They're not here."

The words did make me panic. I stood up, ignoring my foot now, only to be pulled back onto the bed by Reece. "Did Savannah and Adam take them out?"

After their disastrous attempt at getting them to sleep, I seriously doubted it. Besides. It was past their bedtime. "Not a chance. Not unless they want tired grumpy toddlers."

"We're on our way." I heard Jeremy say, heard thumps, as he was waking people up. Elena. The kids.

"Stay calm, Anne." Reece said, softly, as I tried to stand up again. "Use your head."

"My head says chase them down. Track them. Help me walk into their room." It was possible that they'd wandered off into the dark. Now that the three of them were figuring out how to climb over the toddler gates... "Reece."

"Why can't she walk?" That was Jeremy again, on the phone line still, voice sharpening.

"She fell on her ass and put a foot through the glass cabinet."

"It's nothing." I added, and Reece repeated that with less conviction than I had.

"Fell how?"

I sighed and took the phone as Reece helped me up. "Nick called, I hurried, slippery tiles, glass door. It wasn't as bad as it seems. Reece is just spooked by the blood."

We made it to the room and I lowered myself down. I sighed with relief as I smelt it- three pairs of very fresh tracks heading out. Someone had left the toddler gate open. "They've gone for a walk." I couldn't smell anyone else except them since. "It's okay. They're wandering around. I can't smell anyone else except them."

"We're coming anyway." I heard Jeremy get into his car. "The twins?"

Reece glanced back. The music had put them to sleep, kind of amusing when it wasn't music you usually slept to, but somehow those two loved anything that wasn't quiet. "Gone to sleep again."

"They're settling down again."

"We'll be there in a few minutes." Jeremy was gone then, as the car pulled out, and Reece made me sit back down on my bed while he rushed downstairs to find toddlers. I couldn't convince him to take me, even if he didn't have his 'wolf nose', and one of us did have to stay with the twins.

While he was downstairs I tried to call Nick again. Still no answer. When I called Clayton, nothing. Elena must have spoken to him or we'd know about it. But it still bothered me. I knew Nick was struggling. I assumed, anyway, or had I really upset him about the will comment?

"Nick, the triplets have gone for a wander." I finally said to his voice mail, trying to ignore the hurt as it went there, knowing he'd just been on his phone a few minutes before. "Nothing bad, someone left the gate open. Everything else is fine." It hurt, as much as I hated to admit it, to have to speak to his voice mail. I didn't know what was happening there though. I didn't know what time to call, or when to call, or when he was able to take calls, this was a new side of him.

I hung up and threw the phone against the wall, annoyed and upset, but the panic over the triplets was taking priority over Nick's distant mood. He'd apparently shut down when he thought I died. Maybe it was how he coped with stress- by shutting familiar out and hiding in music, in alcohol and by having a good time with strangers, till he got it out. I didn't know. We'd never been in a situation like this before.

I got up, easing myself across the floor carefully, and picked it back up so I could call Antonio instead. He answered almost straight away.

"Jeremy told me the triplets are missing?"

"They went for a walk." The sound of Antonio's voice, like usual, calmed me and I sat on the ground against the wall as I eased my foot out slowly. "It smells like they just woke up, saw the gate was open, and went exploring. I guess they see Matt do it all the time."

He sighed slowly, relaxing somewhat probably. "That's good. I was worried... well, nevermind."

"Is Lillian doing okay?"

"There's been some complications. But she's doing better every day." Antonio tried to keep casual but there was actual fear there now, just a trace of it, fear he tried to hide. "She sends her love."

"Complications?"

"We've got it under control. Has Nick called?" He was changing the subject. I knew that. Whatever Lillian was going through, Antonio didn't want or need to discuss it.

"He tried earlier and I missed it. I sent him a message about the triplets."

"How's your foot?"

I hesitated. Jeremy must have told him about that too. "No secrets around here, huh?"

"Not really. How is it?"

"Better looking than the bathroom. It's going to heal fast." I hoped. It was nothing compared to most things I'd had happen.

"Good." He went quiet for a while. "I'll call you later to make sure everything's okay. If you answer-"

"Then I haven't passed out and we're still looking. If I don't, we found them and I've passed out. Right?"

Antonio laughed, his laugh tense, but it was real. "Right. I'll get a hold of Nick. Stay calm. They're getting big and the world's calling to them."

"Have a good night."

We hung up and I heard the sound of car doors outside. Not the usual 'slam', but quieter, almost like they were trying to be quiet. It made no sense to me, and automatically sent my nerves on edge, because Jeremy would make a lot of noise. Honk. Slam doors. Triplets would come running, most likely, or if they were lost start to yell. They loved 'Grand-woof' as much as they loved Grandpa.

With the 'agreement' up ...I checked the phone... in five minutes, apparently, I did not like this at all. Reece was long gone into the forest. Probably tracking them the old fashioned way, the way that Clayton had always insist we learnt, and that left me.

I turned the phone onto silent and slid up, slowly, keeping low as I heard unfamiliar voices very soft and low downstairs.

"They're probably looking for them now. Check around the house, check in the windows, then go in. Babies first. Then take whatever you can. Cash. Jewels. Anything. We've got ten minutes."

_Thieves_? I was expecting a lot from Demetruis and _this_ wasn't one of them. I grabbed the necklace from the bathroom, easing myself slowly into it and shutting the door, flipping the light off silently. It was just diamonds, sure, but it was from Nick …

A shadow came across the tiny window and fear exploded in me as I saw a face trying to peer into the dark bathroom, right across me, my fear of the dark not helping the situation as something stared into the bathroom. What, I couldn't tell, I just pressed myself against the corner of the bathroom as a light flashed through the room, over the broken door, the blood, the stuff I had to clean up, making it pretty obvious that no one would want to use the bathroom right now.

Then the shadow in the window was gone and I stood there, heart racing, trying to fight my life long fear of the dark in order to keep going. Keep moving. Freezing here was not a good idea. I fingered the diamonds. I slid them off and my engagement ring, sliding a drawer out in the bathroom and slipping them under it between the floor and the drawer, peeling the lino back and pushing it back over both.

I saw the same light flash under the crack of the door, as whatever it was peered into the bedroom, the light of the lamp probably not enough for them. Then again, as they shifted to the other window, and then they were gone. I assumed. I couldn't hear anyone- my sense of hearing didn't go for people who could float in the damn air- but I couldn't hear their breathing.

Well, I realised with another stab of fear, I hadn't heard _any_ breathing, full stop. Fuck. Fuck. Irrational fears rose with the dark, fears of aliens, and of monsters I knew were real now, fears of things I did not …

No. Don't freak out. I shut my eyes, remembering the twins were still in the house, Reece would find the triplets, and Jeremy would be here with backup. But I had to protect the twins first. Fuck the foot, it could cope, I'd covered it in so many plasters to get it to stop bleeding that it'd be more likely to suffocate than bleed. The bandage was soft too- they wouldn't hear it. The twins had a huge bounty on them as well. Massive. I had to make sure they didn't take them.

Before I changed, I slipped through the bathroom door, leaving it open, and made sure the bedroom door was locked and that there was a bag behind the door to protect me if it was slammed open against the wall. Then I crawled into the wardrobe and hoped to hell no one would come in.

I knelt on the ground, trying to change, rushing it so fast that I almost cried out, almost, but found a towel and bit down hard on it as the pain ripped and forced limbs and sprained ankle to suddenly move into unnatural positions, skull and brain contorting as they were also forced to change. There was no time to care about pain- they were already feet coming inside the house. Second it was done, even if my body was still screaming with pain, I stood up, slow, edging towards the bathroom door on my three legs as the fourth was held up and started to bleed again.

The music was keeping the sound of my movement covered, which was great, but it was doing the same for them. Every fibre of my being, every sense I'd been given naturally as a human or werewolf, it was working at full steam, hairs on the back of my neck and back up, lips curling back in a soundless growl as I slid closer to the bedroom door and positioned myself more or less behind it. Coming for any woman's babies was stupid, but a wolf's cubs? I didn't care what hesitations I had as a human. As a wolf, with the instincts merging so deeply with my mind and actions, I knew one level of justice and it did not forgive this kind of trespass.

I lowered myself down, ready to attack as I heard feet under me in the kitchen, feet exploring the house, head tilted, ears swinging backwards and forwards. Something crashing down. Lots of things crashing down. They were in the study. A car boot opening. Then I heard what I was waiting for, not caring in the slightest what they stole, heard feet coming up the stairs now, quick, soft, like the person barely weighed anything at all. An unfamiliar scent came with it, through the crack of the door, not a mutt but something else. I couldn't say it was human, I'd learnt to tell that most supernatural had a slightly different scent, but not a mutt. And I knew how to deal with mutts. Clayton had reminded me though, no matter what race they were, they still all bled and broke the same. Less focus on disadvantages. More on what I could do.

The door handle shook and then suddenly exploded quite literally off its hinges, and that woke the babies up. They started to scream and cry, as the door fell back halfway across the room, knocking the cot, and the fire on it just starting to catch on the edge of the bed. And the wall. And the clothing...

Oh fuck no. Images of Stonehaven on fire flooded my head, just a fraction, until a man and a woman came through the doorway, heading straight for the cot.

"You could have fucking hurt them, idiot." The woman hissed. "Where's their damn pram thing?"

"Shut up. They're fine, ain't they?" He barely got the words out before I attacked, full weight going at his back, my teeth bared as it went for the back of his neck. Like most humans, he swung around as the woman caught sight of me, and I caught onto his lower arm instead as it came to ward me off, ripping down hard into the flesh.

He tried to swing me off, which just made me clamp down harder, eyes narrowed and growling hard, the woman coming to smash something across my back as the babies cried and screamed. Their crying just made my fury worse, and I dug down until I felt muscle give and bone stop my teeth. That made the man scream, screaming at the woman to get me off, and she pulled something out. Metal pole. No. Gun. Gun? Damn Americans! I twisted around as she tried to shoot the thing at me, yanking my prey around with me, refusing to give him up, using him to block her. The explosion hit the ground beside me.

I let go of his arm, only to grab his leg, remembering Matt's technique. Teeth sunk into his leg, right where the hamstring was, tearing at it as he screamed and tried to get me off... the explosion came from him, tearing at us both, fire and flames like the door had, burning both of us, and I was knocked backwards as he was knocked into his partner.

I rolled, shaking it off, my burning fur not bothering me as much as his burning pants bothered him. Thick fur and it was rubbed off fast, and I lunged back for them both as they tried to get out, or call for help...

An explosion from the doorway, a loud bang, had me knocked back, yelping. Some kind of barrier was there now. Barrier? Stupid magi... I lunged at it, again and again, as they lifted the babies up, and went through the wardrobe, snatching up whatever they found of value, ignoring me now. Two more had joined them. The babies cried and wailed, as they were lifted up and carted out of the room, neither of them carried right, and I ignored pain or the flames licking up the building, ignored the sense of not being able to breathe as oxygen was caught by the fire.

"The fire's set in the basement. Come on. We're going." That voice made me freeze, trying to understand, aware now of a dull roar under me too.

"But there might be... and look what it did to Craig..." The woman spat at me, the barrier still preventing me from getting at her soft neck, the gun still pointed at me.

"We've got as much as we can get and the other one will be back soon. Let the dog burn." He hoisted the injured man up, who had not moved since he'd accidentally set himself on fire, and the four of them left with the twins.

Nothing I did to the barrier stopped it from being there. I snapped, I lunged at it, I threw all my weight against it, and when that failed, I forced another fast change as the flames got worse, caught on the crib, caught on the wardrobe, spreading as the second roar below caught my ears. Smoke was pouring into the barrier, though there was no flames in here, and the immediate threat made my body go through the change back to human faster than I suspected it'd let me otherwise...

I stood up, panting with pain, and gagged as the smoke filled my lungs. Dropping to my knees, ignoring the agony in the leg I'd cut, I slid closer towards the barrier and prodded it. Nothing. Then the other side, heading for the windows and... same problem, it had me caught in an area that was just short of the walls.

I hadn't insured this house. Fuck. What a stupid thing to worry about. ...or had I? I had. I had insured it and it was the least of my worries right now. What the hell was I doing worrying about that?

The barrier suddenly fell and the flames came rushing in, as I rushed out, trying to grab clothing and make for the doorway. The hallway was on fire, I smelt gasoline, smelt it all over the walls and floor, and turned to get to the bathroom.

I remembered the ring and necklace, grabbed them, grabbed the bag I'd left behind the doorway, and tried to dress. Smoke was billowing out through the bathroom door now, the flames coming towards the bathroom door, and I slammed it shut in an attempt to slow it down. Glass exploded somewhere, a roar of flames increasing as fresh oxygen was fed to it, and I went to smash the windo...

A face came at it, that same heartless, lungless, pale face, strange shaped eyes glowing as it caught me, a hand slamming against my hand where I'd tried to break the glass. I nearly screamed, the fears of monsters and aliens popping up in the dark, as it came closer, and fell backwards onto the bathroom floor, head hitting tiles. The burning world and glowing eyes fell away as I fell back, and back, and back... into darkness.


	18. Lure

I opened my eyes and found myself lying on the bathroom floor, tiles cracked under me from the heaviness of the fall, but more or less intact. There was a fucking awful pain in the back of my head, another in a shoulder and the broken door of the cabinet was now lying on its side beside me, so I could guess what I'd crashed into . Just finished the job. From the feeling of the hot tiles, the fire was really raging now, but something seemed odd.

Not the fire. The feet. Feet rushing around the bedroom and downstairs. Splashes of water. A loud 'hisss' of a fire extinguisher right underneath me in the garage. The bathroom door had fallen open again and I saw people, at least six of them, with a hose. Fire fighters? I might have thought so except that they weren't wearing anything protective, just wandering around with a hose, spraying water all over the place. They had long dark hair, tanned skin, and I recognised them as Native Americans. Indians? I wasn't sure what was politically correct any more. But that was who they were, it was impossible to ignore it and it confirmed that I'd officially lost my head.

Had someone built this place on a native burial ground or was I going stark raving mad? Did we even see ghosts? I caught sight of a sneaker, groggy, head lifting, and decided that it probably wasn't supernatural. Unexplained, sure, but not a bunch of helpful ghosts.

One of them caught sight of me and said something to one of the others trying to get the fire out. Woops. Was I supposed to be unconscious and not staring at them like a stunned chicken? I made my eyes flutter shut, but felt someone lifting me up and carrying me down the stairs. .They froze, as they passed a window, nearly dropping me, and I opened an eye a fraction and jumped badly as I found myself eye to eye with that same monster alien face at the window, hand against the glass, trying to get in.

A shout, I was dropped as the person carrying me freaked out a bit too, and I skidded to my feet and backed up, or tried to, but my injured foot was not really letting this happen. I slid backwards, as I was ignored now, the face the main focus of their interest now. They saw it too? That was a relief.

Something happened. The world shifted _sideways_, there was no other way to describe it, as I lay there perfectly still. An explosion rocked the garage. Nick's car? They vanished, every single one of the men and women, even the sneaker wearing one, the monster vanished, and I fell.

I woke when I hit the ground floor, pain exploding throughout my back, conciousness flooding back into me as the face followed. Body too. Just going through walls, through the hole in the bathroom floor, the fridge tipped over and floor hot under me. Flames had been licking at the ceiling in here, must have eaten through the floor, and I must have fallen further than I thought. I didn't know. It was confusing.

Well, I was hoping to redecorate. And I'd worried about too many toys. I groaned as I lay there, stunned, watching the fire eat away at my precious home, more upset about how it was destroying the next two week's worth of meals in the big chest freezer than about the bigger picture. But I was sure that whatever I'd seen had to be an illusion of some kind.

It took me a few seconds to remember what had happened before the fire. The twins. The intruders. Thieves. Looking for money and the babies. How had they known the triplets were outside? God, what about the triplets, were they here?

I got up, slowly, waiting to find a broken bone or something, but was relieved to find that there was nothing seriously wrong. Except for lungs burning, which was natural in this smoke, and probably a ton of bruising where I'd crashed through the floor, not to mention my cut foot which was now again extremely upset. The back of my head was a bit tender too. Nothing that was bad.

Fire. It made me slide up faster, cringing as my now unbound foot met the floor, swollen ankle not bound and unsupported now. What did I do? Did I get shit out of here? I had dropped my bag up there... I thought, till I saw it still over one arm. But did I get more? What was the advice in a fire? Get the fuck out?

I limped for the door, grabbing it, and ran head first into Reece, our foreheads clashing, and the world went black again.

"I can't look at her."

That was Reece. I groaned, shutting my eyes, trying to sit up as something pinned me down. The smell of smoke, flames, it was in my hair, skin, nostrils, in my lungs. Nothing else got in, besides the sounds of people moving around, water, splashing.

"Reece..." Jeremy's voice, a low warning. "Get the towel and bring it here."

How bad was it? I might have thought it was really bad if I hadn't seem him freak out over a few shards of glass. I didn't ask, I lay there, feeling totally fucked over, cold, and …the triplets.

I tried to sit up again, hands pinning me down again, long silky hair brushing against my hair as the hands forced me back. When I opened my eyes Elena was leaning over me, hands firmly against my shoulders, shaking her head when I tried to get up. I felt something happening with my foot and lifted my head to see Jeremy there trying to get my foot uncovered. Blood and ash had more or less coated the entire thing.

No wonder why Reece couldn't look. I shut my eyes and dropped my head back onto something soft. Something fabric-ish that may or may not have smelt like Reece.

"They took the twins."

"We'll deal with that in a second. Savannah and Adam are right behind them now." Elena said from above me. I felt something damp dripping and she released me to take a towel and stroked it across my face. "Just looking for more injuries. Stay still."

"Nothing else is hurt. Just my head." I cringed. "Did Reece knock me out?"

"_Sorry_." He called, sheepish, from closer now. I opened one eye to see him sitting there, trying to not see what Jeremy was doing with flesh, covered in soot and ash. "I went upstairs when you were out here."

"Upstairs? The hallway was on fire." The words burnt my throat, my mouth, smoke clouding everything.

"It was a little so I scaled the building just in case." Reece said it so casually that I rolled my eyes, aching head or not. Of course he did. Reece, ignoring his human body, scaled a two story building, climbing into a burning bedroom, looking for babies and finding nothing. He couldn't handle my blood but that kind of feat? He'd do it and pose after. I saw him lift a bag. "I got some of your clothing. And your wedding dress."

I slapped him hard, Jeremy cursing under his breath as he pressed too hard, and Reece fell back.

"Hold still." Jeremy ordered, hand closing down on the space above the swollen ankle.

"What was that for?"

"Going into a burning building and getting clothing. What the hell?"

He looked confused, glancing to Elena as if to get support, but she was giving him the same 'What is wrong with you?' expression I was. "Don't women really love their wedding dress? Anyway, the building isn't that bad."

God. I was going to hit him when Jeremy let me. It was a dress. I would have been more devastated if _he'd_ gotten hurt. "No one hurt?"

"Besides you?" Jeremy shook his head. "No."

Except the twins were gone. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stay still, trying to not panic, Elena's body not shifting as if she was expecting me to start panicking at any time. Maybe I was. The urge to change and race down the driveway after them was not going away. I had three legs and teeth so what else did a wolf need?

"If you need a sedative..." Elena said softly, as I twitched.

"My twins are gone. I need the whole damn box. Wait, what about the triplets?" My eyes flew open and the shove came just as I was tempted to fly up again. "Did you find them?"

"Car, asleep, just there." Elena's eyes went to the car parked nearby. We were a few hundred metres from the house, I realised, more or less concealed in the bush. The door was open and the three toddlers fast asleep under blankets on a back seat converted to a bed thing. "They found Nick's shed of abandoned toys and were asleep on one of their new beds."

The toys we'd run out of room for. We'd stuck their presents in there and the beds. Someone had, anyway, after we'd realised we weren't going to be able to swap rooms. At least the triplets had their stuff still.

"Smart kids." I muttered.

"We moved them just in case the fire spread. But it was already dying down. There was water everywhere." She added, softer. Elena glanced at her phone and frowned, stiffening. "Hold on. It's Clay."

"Clayton?"

"Reece, don't let her get up. No panicking! We've got it _under control_." She was already moving away, running away, as if she was determined to make sure I didn't hear a single word.

Reece shifted behind me reluctantly. Instead of pushing me down, he carefully lifted me up, slid behind me with his legs crossed, and I rested back against his lap, the 'pillow' now under my head. Great view of Jeremy's work as he was carefully cleaning the wounds out, but Reece was avoiding watching him. I lay there, wondering how far we were from the fire if it wasn't loud here, unable to smell much more than just faint traces of smoke now.

"I think they lured the triplets out." I said softly.

"Did you smell strangers in the hallway?" Jeremy asked softly. When I shook my head he shrugged lightly. "Maybe they saw them playing in the shed, or Reece moving away with a torch, or both. Or they used that spell on them."

"That spell?"

"You had a glamour spell on you."

I groaned. Suddenly the alien and Indians and ...it all made sense. Suddenly it made a lot of sense. This was like the damn birth thing. They showed me my worst fear and boom, there I was, totally distracted when there were more important things going on. Like _fires and kidnapped twins._ "I hate magic."

"We all do." Reece muttered from above me. "Glad you got out."

"Nearly." I reached up to touch where our faces had crashed into each other. There was a big tender spot on my forehead.

"Sorry." He grinned awkwardly, reaching down to touch the spot, a beautiful matching red spot on Reece's forehead.

I tried to not panic, ears strained for Elena, but could hear nothing. "What's going on, Jeremy? _How_ do you have it under control?"

"Clayton flew back for the night. Savannah and Adam are behind them, he's waiting to ambush them, and you need to heal this foot to play your next part. They won't hurt the twins- they're only valuable alive, as harsh as that sounds." Jeremy squired more stuff inside a cut and I cringed as he made it open. "There's ash and rubble throughout them. Sorry. I'm cleaning them first."

"Just let them bleed a bit. It'll do it." I muttered. Much nicer than what he was trying to do. "Is the house lost?"

Jeremy glanced back up and shook his head. "No, just your room. Didn't you try and put it out?"

"I ...are you sure?" I remembered seeing flames everywhere. Was that another illusion? "I don't think I did. I can't remember."

"There was water all over the place and a hose inside the bedroom. We assumed you had."

I twitched. A hose inside the bedroom? I was really confused now. Had I gotten a hose and pretended I was watching myself … I didn't know anymore. At the hint of concern on Jeremy's face, as he caught my confusion, I tried to smile. "Guess we're moving bedrooms sooner than we planned. Where's Matt? Still at your house?"

"He came over?" He seemed surprised. As soon as fear flashed across my face, Jeremy put a calming hand on my leg.

"After dinner." I grimaced and Reece shoved me down when I tried to sit up. "Wandered off with a hiking bag full of snacks."

"Then he was probably there. The twins had put up a tent in their bedroom and we didn't want to wake them. Matt probably had crawled in." He patted my leg, relaxing, and so did I. Matt had just gone 'camping' with the twins.

My lips twitched at the news and I sighed, shutting my eyes, reaching up to hug Reece in the awkward position we were in. "Thanks for finding the toddlers."

"No problem." He leaned down to kiss my forehead, the side of it, his head going back to the house as something crashed. I turned to look too and saw the roof falling in onto the bedroom. Ah fuck.

"We'll make sure it's safe to go in before you move back in." Jeremy said softly. He leaned back for the kit and started to put plasters back on the foot as I waited patiently, or tried to, and then when it was wrapped up and he was satisfied it was waterproof, he made sure nothing else was wrong. The ankle was wrapped up too, an ice pack removed, and with nothing else going on, he finally let me get to my feet with help. "Keep that ice pack on your head."

"So how can I help find the twins?" I wanted to trace those thieves down. Stealing my children? I'd already torn one apart and the other three were just delaying what I'd do. Instead I stood there, legs shaking, finding myself holding an icepack when he shoved it into my hand and pushed it against my head.

"You don't. I know you probably want to rush off and force vengeance on them all but we caught them leaving the driveway and are on their heels." Jeremy's voice was calm, no hint of panic there. He didn't seem the least bit worried, I realised with surprise, like _nothing_ about this was upsetting to him. Reece seemed calm too. And I believed him, somehow, when he said, "It's under control."

"Can I have them when you get them?" Even as I asked it, I scowled, that wasn't the same. While I had no desire to hunt humans for fun, I had every urge right now to hunt them for other reasons. But I wouldn't be kind, hunt or no hunt.

"That's up to Clayton. It's his job." He replied, a hint of amusement there, and squeezed my shoulder.

I let them lead me into the car and I slid down to lie beside the triplets on the flattened seats, Reece in the front seat and lowering it back a bit, as the fire engine finally came. The siren woke the triplets, not surprisingly, but they caught sight of me and didn't panic or get upset. We were hidden in the bush, the car off, and Jeremy moved to sit in the front seat. Panic kept me awake though. That these two weren't who they said they were, even though I knew that wasn't true, that the twins weren't coming back, all kinds of things, some totally illogical, some more so. The more magic screwed with us the less I felt like I knew what was reality and what wasn't.

Reality was those three babies though, I knew that much, because the second I was done they were snuggling up. I stank and the three of them changed their minds, sliding away sleepily, wrinkling their noses. I was there, that was enough, and they settled down again soon.

"Where's your phone, Reece?"

Jeremy handed me a phone, Reece glancing at the dancing flames with a grimace, and I sighed. This was why I didn't like keeping photos on a phone.

I shut my eyes, as I dialled in Nick's number, and still no answer.

After a while they got out again. I lay there, wide awake, panic and anxiety beating a horrible fast rytehm in my painful skull, and I doubted anything at this point could have really got my eyes to shut. In the darkness I watched Reece and Jeremy nap, so confidant that they did have it 'under control', watched the fire truck make sure everything was okay, and then leave. Presumably to Elena's property to tell her. Or maybe they didn't need to tell any of us. I'd seen they'd put tape around the building though.

It's under control. Under control. Under control. I repeated Jeremy's voice, his exact tone, his words, over and over in my head as I lay on the uncomfortable 'bed' in the car. I repeated them, to begin with, in order to not steal the keys, kick them all out, and chase down the thieves myself. This wasn't an unattractive fantasy at all. Mean, maybe, when Jeremy and Reece were physically weaker than me right now... but not unattractive.

Instead, I lay on my aching back, watching the stars outside, the soft breathing of the triplets right beside me. I repeated those words so many times that they stopped sounding like words. Then I tried other words. I didn't know what words to use. Sometimes I heard things outside in the forest, my heart thudding with panic, heard movements, was convinced I sometimes heard feet, or wings far too close to the car. At one point an owl came and sat on the dash and directly looked at me, its eyes in mine, eyes that in my panicked state felt more human than owlish.

Then it took off again with a hoot and I was left alone in the car.

I must have fallen asleep eventually though. When I woke, it was sudden abrupt, and it was not the soft voice of Jeremy or Reece, but the almost high pitched voice of Nick who was on top of me somehow and was shaking me.

"Who let her fall asleep? She has a concussion!" Nick's panicked voice shocked me out of sleep, as I was literally pushed onto my back, Nick shaking me as his scent crashed into the car. Shake, shake, shake, I was so annoyed at being woken when I'd fallen asleep peacefully, that I refused to open my eyes. No. Bugger off. I was asleep. This was really ru... _ow_. My head hit something hard, a seat belt, and I shoved at him.

"Stop shaking me."

"You're awake!." Nick collapsed on me, arms wrapping around me, one head carefully lifting mine up so he could get the metal out. "You scared me."

He was really scared, I realised with shock, his heart racing, fear in his scent and clouding it. I wrapped arms around him and gazed around. Still dark, still very dark, how long had I slept? It didn't feel like long at all.

"I was asleep, Nick, it's fine. You know, that natural thing that happens when you're got five babies under four, and no ones there to hel-"

Nick lifted my head and kissed me hard, desperate, lips claiming mine with that hunger and desperation and fear, completely ignoring my little dig at the pack. He leaned up, slowly, when I stopped trying to talk and grinned a shaky grin. "That help?"

"No."

"This?" He started to kiss my face, my neck, ignoring the smell of smoke. "Or this? Or this?"

"Nick..."

He kept going, ignoring me, curls tickling my face as he made sure I felt every last kiss, his weight carefully not entirely on me, and only when I relaxed did Nick relax, slowing, his head coming back up to check. "You okay now?"

I sighed. Shut my eyes. It was impossible to resist him. My body didn't relax, but I did, and I tried to convince it to do the same. No luck there. "When did you get here?"

"Just now. Clayton told me that the house was broken into and I came as fast as I could." He grinned, a tense smile that suggested he'd already been ready. "Stay calm. The twins are still being tracked."

"Tracked?" This seemed stranger by the second. Even Nick wasn't panicked. And what on earth had been with Savannah and Adam not being at the house when Elena had decided we needed at least one magic user at any time in the house for the time bein... "This was a trap, wasn't it?"

"They asked me first. I'm sorry."

"Nick, they're babies!" I growled, tried to sit up, and he pinned me down with all his weight. I could have easily flipped him off but I let him. "Who asked me? No one!"

"They asked me and I agreed because I didn't want him to come for you." He was back to kissing my neck and throat, nuzzling against me, arms tightening around me. "Everyone was ready. The twins are going to De- … Asshole senior. And we're tracking it. I wouldn't let my new puppies get harmed."

"Nick." I groaned, shut my eyes, the fear and anger at everyone there. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Liz, we're going to dangle your babies out the window until some treatment-hooked junkies come for their three hundred thousand dollar bounty. Okay? Just growl and pretend you're an angry wolf mother while they do exactly what we set them up to do." He nuzzled against me. "You're a terrible actress when it comes to your babies. Better to set you loose on them."

"Bloody hell, Nick." I groaned. "They set the house on fire."

"Just the bedroom. It's okay. That wasn't apart of our plan but... we're fine. You're fine. You hurting your foot wasn't apart of the plan either." He nipped at my neck gently and lifted his head up.

"Why didn't you at least answer your phone?" I thought you were mad at me... the words didn't come out, but they must have shown in my face, because he grimaced as his eyes saw my expression.

"I'm sorry. If talked to you then I'd tell you what was going on, I can't lie to you. Ever. I promised I wouldn't ever lie to you." He grimaced as he touched my head. "I _nearly_ told you but Reece answered. Liz, I know it's hard for you, but I wouldn't have agreed if I didn't trust Clayton. You can trust him. They're his pack, those babies, and he doesn't let go of attacks on his pack that well."

"I do trust him." I muttered. "Don't know about the rest of you. That was pretty low."

"It's fine. The triplets surprised me though. Reece left the gate open by accident, didn't he?" When I nodded, he scowled, touching my red forehead. "I'll have to kick him."

"Might have been better … they were safely out of the way." I muttered. "How's your mum?" I half wondered if that was part of the plan too.

"Still in hospital. She's ..." His face darkened and he lay down beside me, between me and the triplets, his head vanishing against my hair. "She's going to be okay." But Nick didn't sound certain. He sounded afraid. Human illness wasn't something the pack was as used to dealing with.

My heart sank a little. Bugger. So that wasn't apart of their grand baiting plan. She'd really genuinely gotten sick. I did forgive him a little then for not telling me about the plan. "Hospitals are made for keeping people alive. Just give her some time. No one recovers from that fast."

He nodded and I gazed out the car window. Moisture was on the glass, I pushed it out of the way, and saw early morning light cutting through the darkness of the forest. There was another car nearby, probably where Jeremy was, Reece wandering around outside with Elena.

"Elena is on phone duty." Nick muttered beside me. "I made her promise that she'll keep me updated. Every second of it. She told me to drive you to Stonehaven but I got distracted when I saw you were asleep."

"We better go. Matt will be waking up." I muttered and he shook his head.

"You go to sleep a while longer while you can..."

Reece pulled the door open and ignored Nick's look of 'go away'.

"How's your foot?" Reece said softly, glancing at the triplets, not wanting to wake them.

"Coping. Why?"

"Can you change?" He asked softly. When I nodded, he bacl to Jeremy, who hung up his phone. "If you had to. Could you change? Can you walk?"

I nodded, glancing from him to Jeremy who was coming over, unsure of what the two were getting at. It was just reaching daylight now, the stars fading as the light blue started to spread across the sky from the east, and the triplets fast asleep in the car. I didn't know how they stayed so peaceful like that.

"I could change if I had to. I can walk, if I use my heel, it's really not so bad. Is that why you didn't put stitches in it?" I felt an understanding dawning then.

Jeremy nodded. "Elena's waiting at the house for us now." He moved closer, speaking softly. "She'll explain it further. We better get moving, Nick."

Nick sighed and nodded.

I glanced from them to Nick. "What about the triplets? No car seats."

"Sit in the back with them and I'll hurry." Nick leaned over to kiss me again, gently brushing hair out of my face, before crawling into the front seat. Nick lowered the window, cool morning air coming in. I lifted the triplets up, one by one putting them in the front seat for a second and tried to get the seat back into an upright position as they grumbled and wriggled around.

Once the back seat was up, Nick lifted them back, and he called to Reece that we were going. He nodded as he slid into the other car with Jeremy.

Nick did hurry. I sat in the middle of the three babies, bum aching like hell now, and he carried them one by one, till Jeremy turned up and helped, the sleepy grumpy three year olds just wanting to sleep and ignored our gentle encouragement of 'come on out'. I hobbled after the two men as they carried them upstairs in the newer half of Stonehaven and settled them on the bed in the room Jeremy led us into, the one we'd apparently get till we knew it was safe to go back, and they curled up and went right back to sleep.

Nick sat down in the small sofa chair in there and I flopped onto his lap, cringing, my body aching from head to bum. He nuzzled against my neck. "You good?"

"I want to go get them, not sit here and cuddle and remember how sore my bum is." I muttered. He laughed, I hit him for that, and stroked my back gently. "So where's our twins now?"

It was the first time I'd called them that. _Our twins_. No Demetruis involved. Nick's lips twitched up in a smile. "Probably giving them hell. I hope they remembered nappies."

He might have been trying to cheer me up but the idea that my babies were getting no nappy changes and cold milk made me stiffen and feel really fucking angry. "I hope for their sake, they know how care for a baby." Was it too sadistic to want to put them in a dirty nappy for a week? Maybe. It was an attractive thing to think about right now though.

"It's going to be fine. Promise." He stroked my stiff shoulders and arms. "Like you said. They're our babies. Clayton's been let loose at them."

I grumbled softly under my breath and tried to relax. Still no lucky there- my body was on 'fight mode' and would not change into anything else. He might have been able to relax, maybe, even see the funny side. Maybe I'd find it funny too in _twenty years_. After their first change was done and they were at college. Or something. "If you're wrong, I'm going to help the girls hide their dates from you and Clayton." I warned him, and he scowled at that. I could suddenly picture it- Nick and Clayton, as the girls were teenagers and their date coming to pick them up, suddenly appearing behind the poor human boy like two terrible ghosts.

"We're going to stalk them. We've already agreed." He nipped my shoulder gently. "Starting with Kate. This is pretty nasty." He fingered where the door had hit my shoulder hard, kissing the bruised skin, shaking his head. "Where else did you bruise yourself?"

"Hey, I was fighting to snap their necks. I got a bit hurt." I muttered. I wondered if I should tell him about the 'monster' or not. Probably not- it was probably apart of the spell I'd been under. It was a bit bizarre, how the mind saw one thing and the body did another. I stood up, crawling onto the bed beside the triplets, and Nick came over to peel clothing off me. His hiss, as he uncovered bits and pieces was more than enough description.

"You're a beautiful shade of blue and purple and red from head to bum, Aussie, I'm tempted to take photos."

"Please don't."

"Be right back." He left for a while and I lay there with my head on arms, until I felt something cold press against the back of my head. Nick stroked my spine slowly, carefully, some areas of it more tender than others. "Your head's a bit upset there."

"How can you tell?" I muttered. "The dried blood or the golf ball sized lump?" Truthfully, I didn't know if either was there, but ...I felt _cranky_. Really cranky.

"It's bleeding." He crawled into bed beside me, as best he could, the two of us trying to leave as much room for the toddlers as possible. We lay there on our stomachs, side by side, watching them asleep in front of us where the pillows had been shoved back, our legs dangling over the edge. I glanced back and saw what he meant. There was almost a criss cross of bruises, some tile shaped where my bum had hit tiles, some from the edge of the cabinet, a bunch of different ones. Nothing serious but it was pretty impressive looking.

I shut my eyes, curling up on my side so there was room.

"I'm going downstairs to watch Elena and spy for us." Nick pulled the edge of the blanket over me. "Any news, I'll come back."

"You better or no sex. ...well, you'd probably get sex, but ..." I wasn't sure how to hold sex back from him. It probably wasn't something that would happen.

"Something bad?"

I nodded and he laughed softly, kissing my lips as I fell asleep, before he went out and left me to sleep.

As tense as my body was, it was exhausted, and I _did_ fall asleep. When I next woke, it was when I felt Nick re-enter the room, adrenaline rushing throughout my body all of a sudden, body returning to 'fight mode' the second it assumed it needed to. I yawned and rolled onto my back, gently tugging a little leg out of my way. "What is it? How long did I sleep?"

"Twenty minutes. There's a ..." Nick hesitated, then climbed onto the bed, climbing on top of me. "Elena's orders. She says stay calm."

Immediately I panicked. Those words? They were starting to come a little too much for my liking. "The twins? What happened?"

"That's still going according to plan. No. No..." He wrapped his arms around me, held on as I tried to get up, using his body weight to pin me down. "Lillian, I mean Mum, she's back in intensive care. A machine is breathing for her."

I froze as he lay there on top of me, breathing hard, one of his hands reaching out to stroke Susie's hair.

"For what?"

"Something about fluid or... I don't know, one of her lungs." He muttered against my shoulder. "I never really thought about how fragile old people were."

I sighed and wrapped my arms around him, snuggling against him, and he shut his eyes and buried his nose against my skin. "She's in a good place. They just shocked her body badly and it's trying to recover."

"Yeah. I didn't want to wake you but Elena said I had to. She wants you downstairs soon anyway." He muttered. Smiled weakly, or tried to, as he lifted his head. "Do you want a shower?"

I did. And he needed to shave. I nodded and we got up carefully, Nick putting a toddler gate on the door and dropping some toys in there- it sounded awful but we didn't want the triplets tripping down stairs, eating something bad in someone elses room or something else bad if they woke- and headed for the shower on that floor.

We showered together as fast as possible, which wasn't all that fast in the end, the two of us taking the chance while we had it. Nothing was a better stress reliever than sex, even if I could barely stand with one injured foot. Nick just lifted that one leg up, gently leaned me against the cool glass, and was careful to not be too rough with my backside all bruised. Once we'd gotten the 'stress relief' done, we really showered properly, Nick helping while I leaned against him and tried to keep my injured foot dry. Not much luck there. He waited while I shaved him and we were just about ready to find some more 'stress relief' right then and there... but the insistent knock on the door from one of the triplets made it clear we were out of time.

"Busted." I commented as he dressed, watching him, admiring every inch of him.

"How long we get this time? Five minutes?"

"Maybe seven." I laughed. "Ten if you count the shaving."

"Sounds like a record to me." He grinned weakly, a little less upset now, and peeled off the bandages off my foot. They were too soggy. "You did a good job with this, didn't you?"

"It just looks dramatic." I shrugged. "What am I wearing?"

All my clothing had been in the bedroom. Nick seemed to remember this too. He frowned. "I didn't think of that. You wait in the bedroom and I'll see if anything was left here."

Once he'd opened the door, the three toddlers wandered in, and Nick had to stop for a while and explain to them about Mama's owwie foot and how it needed very special care. Or something like that. I think it actually scared Lily- she refused to come near it like the other two. They followed him out, all except for Dominic who followed me as I eased myself slowly through the hallway in the towel, using my heel on my bad foot. He held my hand and waited, so adorable, even if he _was_ trying to lead me in the wrong direction.

I sat and let them play with me till he somehow found some clothing. Reece had rescued some clothing, which was helpful, but it didn't make a full outfit. The rest had to be Elena's clothing... and it was a bit sad that they were Elena's early pregnancy clothes, her body was much taller and leaner than I was, but there wasn't much else to pick from right now. Once I was dressed we all headed downstairs, Nick leading the army, and me hobbling behind.

We ate. We sat. We waited, as the minutes stretched by, I watched them, the seconds slowing themselves down somehow. Elena filled me in, more or less, that Savannah and Adam were tracing them, that Clayton was waiting somewhere else to pounce. Or something like that. I knew deep down, that if she was risking my children, she had a concrete plan, that there was no way in hell she'd risk them otherwise. I just wished she'd let me go join him in the pouncing part. My body, my mind, it was all trying to get ready for a fight that felt like I wasn't apart of. This made no sense to my instincts- they were my puppies, it was _my job_ to fight for them. It was taking every ounce of control over my instincts to not change and leave right then and there. Run at the twins. I didn't know where they were but that didn't affect my wolf mind in the slightest. Find trail. Follow trail. Hunt. Kill.

Instead, I was told to call the insurance company about the fire and break in, and deal with that. I scowled and did it very reluctantly. I knew that it had to be done without hesitation but ...come on. I knew she had a plan. I wished she'd stop this and just tell me about it.

"I _will_. In a few minutes." Elena said, when I told her this after the call. She smiled apologetically, her own movements tense and restless all morning, glancing at her own phone more than she needed to. She glanced up as Kate and Logan came downstairs.

"We had breakfast in the tent." Kate said, glancing at Logan, who nodded.

"He ate most of it. Can we have breakfast?"

"Where is he?" She replied as she gave them bowls.

"We're going swimming. He's meeting us there." Logan glanced back at Kate.

Something about this didn't seem right.

"Well, the pool's off limits. There was a fire last night." She shook her head. "Go get him first and bring him back. Then breakfast."

They shared glances again before heading out the door.

"Swimming in autumn?" I muttered. Okay, kids were pretty resilient, and it wasn't cold today, but... "Is it just me or did they look guilty?" Not that it mattered as much right now. I was frustrated that I was doing _nothing_.

Elena seemed to be thinking the same thing. She patted me on the shoulder and headed upstairs. "Let me check."

I slid up and looked for her phone, as Nick raised an eyebrow, but she'd taken it with her. Bugger. I sighed, pacing up and down the kitchen, and when she came down I was already wondering how I could track Adam and Savannah.

"Matt was never there." The words shocked me, but Elena was already heading outside after her kids, face drawn, clearly annoyed that they'd lied. "Give me a second and I'll find out why."

"Re-" Nick started. The look I shot him made him shut up fast. That word was being used far too much. But when he patted the couch beside him I flopped down, drew up my good leg, and snuggled against him. It was better than pacing up and down.

My eyes snapped back to the door as I heard Elena herding the twins back and she sighed when she caught my eyes. "Matt is in Savannah's car."

"_What_!"

"You two. Upstairs. You're not leaving the house for a month. Six months." Elena growled, and they headed up. "Forget breakfast. You're lucky if I let you eat dinner."

Elena called them up, cutting me off with a look before I could say anything, looking calm but ...I guessed she was furious. If she wasn't, she should be. Bloody hell. She paused, glanced at the phone, and shook her head. "I've left him a message. We can't do anything except wait till they retu-"

"Wait? Matt's in..." I snatched keys up, heading outside and using the heel on my bad foot for balance, Nick hurrying after me. I still couldn't drive, and this really had to change, but I at least had watched them enough. How hard could it be? That had more or less shattered my control, at least to some extent, and I wanted to go _now_.

It wasn't Nick who stopped me but Elena. She yanked me back. "Wait till they return. Matt's a smart kid, Clayton's going to notice, and we've got our own job to do. I suppose he overheard us."

Of course Matt was there. I wondered if he'd heard about the plan. It was possible- he spent half his time here at Stonehaven- and they often forgot how easily he overheard things. He'd wanted to get more involved the closer he got to his tenth birthday.

"Come back in the house." Elena added, quieter. "We're trusting you and Reece to defend the children here. And myself. Clayton's trusting you. That's not a small thing."

I hesitated. She was right, of course. This wasn't just about using us as bait- once they'd taken the bait- my babies, I suddenly had a different role to play here. Grieving mother, worried mother, and fucking dangerous wolf if they came for Elena while Clayton was doing his job. I sighed. Stopped making for the cars.

"Is there a possibility that they'll come here while Clayton's gone?" I asked quietly, glancing back, and she nodded. Of course there was. This wasn't just about my twins, I remembered, there was some kind of 'resistance' that wanted Elena's twins. If Demetruis was with them. I twitched though, my skin itched, my body screaming at me … but at the same time, this wasn't just Elena. And I knew that my instincts were as loyal to her as they were to the twins.

"Come in, heal that foot, and we talk about what we're going to do. Patiently. The last I heard, they had circled several times and are just a few hours over the state lines." Elena went quiet, let go of me, and waited.

I stood there a while. She made no move to force me inside, no words were spoke, but I felt suddenly that I was being tested. My _control_ was being tested here.

I went back inside, Elena ahead of me, and sat down.

"It may be morning before they return. They won't be contacting us till then. We need to look cut off now." She joined me at the table. "You're doing well. Not panicking. You're getting good with that control."

I was right, I realised, this wasn't just about baiting the asshole. They were forcing me to work on my own self-control. I scowled but her praise deflected most of my anger at this. "You're testing me, aren't you?"

"You've had a bad history of control when it comes to situations like this. With your changes, with the need for the painkiller, so you have to let go and make your instincts refocus." Elena admitted softly. "We're trusting you to stay here, not go, and to do what needs to be done here instead. Trust the pack to do the other job."

I breathed out slowly, hands clawing at the tables lightly, Nick's scent increasing as he came to sit beside me. He put a hand on my knee and I wondered if he'd known about this. Maybe, maybe not, but it didn't really matter.

"So, they're not here till the morning?"

"We're going to be _alone_ all night. You, me, the kids. There may be a blonde Australian wolf in the forest... but _we're_ going to be alone." She confirmed. "And the person watching us from town will notice."

"The... there's someone watching us?" Showed how much I'd been paying attention. Elena nodded.

I understood as I heard Jeremy and Reece come in. Alone till morning? The two women and the children. In other words, this was round two of the 'baiting'. If they were just a few hours away then Clayton didn't need to wait. He was choosing to wait.

"Tonight, Jeremy and Nick are going into town. Shopping. They're going to find a reason to stay in town. I'd recommend pretending to be a bit too drunk to drive." She smiled somewhat, as Jeremy rolled his eyes, but nodded a fraction.

"We'll get the police to test us. They're usually prowling around on a Friday night." Jeremy  
>said softly. "Not too much- just enough to make it a bad idea."<p>

"We won't be able to return till morning though." Nick protested, glancing from Jeremy to Elena.

"No." That was the point, in other words. Elena's eyes went to Reece. "You wait outside. Can you manage a night outside in the cold?"

He nodded, shrugged it off. "Changed, right?"

"I'll let you judge that. Sound carries better at night, you may get away with staying human, but it's your choice there." Elena turned her attention to me. "You, there's a spare pair of crutches, I want you to use them."

"I don't need to." I hated the idea.

"Yes, but use them. You're going into town to shop with Nick and Jeremy. No alcohol for you, just a lot of depending on those crutches, and getting the big strong men to lift things for you." Her lips twitched as I frowned. "Then take a taxi back."

"This is much harder than any hunt and kill." I muttered and Elena laughed softly. "You sure? Will you be okay here?" Silly question.

"Most likely. You're not far if I'm not." She didn't seem worried. "Paige and Lucas are coming over for the day. When this talk is done, I call them, they come here. Paige will pretend to leave but will hide."

Paige and Lucas? Now that I thought about it, I hadn't seem them today. Were they in town? Maybe they had been the ones watching out for people to watch us.

"Then tonight, we are home alone, and wait to see what we catch?" Reece asked and when Elena nodded, he grinned. "Sounds good to me."

"Are you able to do this?" Elena turned her attention to me now. "Keep in control like you have all day? You'll be struggling with that foot..."

"Not too badly. I can do this."

"Our children will be in the house. It'll need to be less brutal. We need it to stay as quiet as possible." She added, softer, glancing up. I heard the kids watching a TV somewhere. "They'll be sleeping in the same room- all five of them. Mine and yours."

"I can do it quietly. Staying in control." I repeated, Nick's hand tightening agianst my leg slightly. "I haven't run off and gone to maul the thieves all day. I've been in control."

"I noticed. Okay." Elena breathed out, a long deep sigh, standing up. "I'll call them. We'll get started after lunch."

Even with the 'plan' explained fully now, I was uneasy, really uneasy about this. I paced up and down as lunch warmed up. Someone, probably Reece and Jeremy, had actually gone into the kitchen and rescued every single container and element of food from my kitchen and fridge, like they couldn't bear loosing all that food. Or maybe they'd seen how I'd spent the last four days, every night and spare second, trying to store up food so that I went less mad when it came to feeding so many mouths. Either way, clearly, food _wasn't_ wasted here. It was either eaten or frozen or put into compost for the vegetable garden I'd made for Jeremy's garden... which I needed to weed badly. Someone else was supposed to do it ...but they must have 'forgot'.

Nick just sat there, put plates out, or watched me pace. Limp, that was probably a better way to put it, as if somehow by doing this I'd make it heal faster. I only calmed down when Elena reminded me that the foot would heal faster if I wasn't constantly slowing the healing process and putting weight on it. I flopped down and he pulled my leg up across his lap, running his hands gently across the tense muscles under the pants, equally as tense as I was.

"You calm down or I'll chain myself to the house and refuse to leave." He said softly, trying to joke, but there was an element of seriousness there too. Nick was stressed out too. "I know you're able to do this."

I sighed, flopped my forehead carefully against his upper arm, and felt his body relax just a fraction. "Sorry. Pent up energy."

"Remember, use those crutches. Act disabled." Nick nudged me. "Limp, moan, don't pick up a thing unless it's lighter than a plate."

"I'll try."

We all ate lunch. Not just a regular 'large' werewolf lunch. We ate as much as we could, till we were bloated, putting as much extra energy into our bodies as we could. I snuggled the triplets, they were bored of the Wriggles for now, as Nick got some things ready to go out upstairs. Maybe they'd noticed how stressed I was, they hadn't been as clingy this morning, but the second I made eye contract they were all over me like little magnets. We were just waiting for Paige and Lucas to come now.

I kissed them goodbye when they came, the three of us slipping into the car with the crutches beside me before they got over the excitement about Lucas and Paige enough to get upset about us going. We headed off for town as Elena tried to herd everyone inside.

As we drove, I put my foot down and found a great way to be 'limp', seeing that there were several small stones that people had probably trampled into the car at some point. I slipped it between the bandages, more or less against a sore spot, which may have been a bit sadistic but... every time I put my foot down, suddenly I was _disabled_. No weight could go on that foot anymore.

I slid out of the car as we reached the mall and adjusted the crutches so they worked properly. They must have been used for someone a bit taller the last time. Nick waited patiently, lips twitching as I used the crutches, and I tried to hit him with one, nearly falling over as I lost balance, tried to put weight on other foot and... stone met cut and foot gave way.

Luckily, Jeremy was right there, and he shot Nick a look, his arms grabbing me before I went over completely. But hey. At least I was doing the 'injured and helpless' thing pretty well.

"I slipped a rock in the bandage." I said, softly, as Jeremy lifted me up, and it was his turn to look amused for a second, before he got control back.

"Stop harassing your wife, Nick, help her." He ordered Nick.

We shopped. Thanks to their rescue of all food objects in my house, that wasn't needed, but we did get other things. Spare clothing for the kids- the house was off limits. Not much, Jeremy reminded me that the twins had old clothing from when they were little, but Nick wanted to get them things anyway. Nappies for toddlers and babies alike. We had to stop quite a bit. Jeremy was known here, of course, and now that I'd been here a few years people knew my face too. Especially as I was seen half the time leading a small charge of triplets. People wanted to see how big they were, wanted to know how I'd hurt my ankle, the usually prying of a smaller town where most people knew most people and it was big news if a mother hurt her ankle. I had to reassure them that I was fine for food, I was fine for help, I was fine, fine, _fine_.

It was kind of amusing, actually, the dynamics between the pack and the town. Jeremy, Elena and Clayton were usually pretty much cold shouldering the people in town. They were known, they were liked more or less, but that was it. They'd made it clear that they didn't really talk much. All the people in this smaller town wanted to know was that they were good people, that their kids went to school, and they paid their taxes and committed no crimes. With nothing to suggest they weren't any of those things they were accepted.

Me, on the other hand, I stood out. I was an Australian with triplets and those two things sort of went against me a little. I struggled to do the 'cold and distant but polite' thing. People here still remembered my wedding, for crying out loud, and it'd been such a _tiny_ thing! Not only that, but Australians were a little different with how they reacted to people coming up to them. At least my family had been. If they talked to you and asked about your life, you answered, then you listened as they told you about their life. When the news had broken that I'd had triplets, six months after they were born, people actually came by with food. Still called me the Australian bride. It was just lucky that I didn't live with Jeremy, or Clayton would be going off his head as all these people tramped up to his doorway with food. Nick just smiled, thanked everyone in his charming legs weak heart melting sort of way, and had sent them home.

This time, they spotted the new nappies, and suddenly the news was out. I had twins. Oh god, they'd be all over my house. When I reassured them everything was fine, it didn't work, the woman- who, I found out at the same time as she found out about the twins, worked part time in the hairdresser and part time in the supermarket, had three kids of her own and another on the way and her oldest was in Matt's class and was he interested in coming to her daughter's party?- had the news and I knew _exactly_ what she was going to do with it.

Luckily Nick rescued me with the charming side of him, telling her that he was taking me to New York in a few with the babies for a few months to live with his mother, more or less accurate anyway because we wanted to be around when Lillian got out of that damn hospital and we had to tour a preschool, so any food wouldn't be used but thank you. I sighed with relief, he chuckled, hugged me closer, and reminded me to pay attention to New York.

Elena kept us updated as we went to get me some clothing. Nothing much happening there, except for the usual dramas that came with kids, and Jeremy confirmed by text that we were being followed. I hadn't noticed. I was too tense, struggling to keep balanced on those stupid wooden crutches, and getting crowded by humans who knew my face far too well by now.

They weren't so bad, really, but it was frustrating. I knew danger was right nearby, I knew we were being hunted, and it set my instincts right up to the edge of control all over again. It was taking everything in me to stay calm.

It was starting to get dark when we were done, the car loaded, and we stopped for the drink. This was the plan- we wanted to stay a bit later on Friday night, drink, eat, and relax. They drank, I ate, and the town came alive with people as they came out of work and relaxed as a new weekend came around. We skipped the idea of a movie- we didn't want to push time too much- but Jeremy and Nick did a great show of their own when they went up to the policeman, both of them a little unsteady looking, and he very happily tested them. In front of everyone. I suspected this wasn't technically how they were supposed to test someone- in public view as if it was a display- but it got attention all right. The policeman called me a taxi while they waited, pretending to be a little worse than they really were, and I gathered the bags on the curb beside me.

Nick kissed me goodbye, his hand suddenly iron around mine as the taxi driver loaded the bags, and I felt his hand shaking. Nothing to do with the alcohol. He wasn't keen on this part of the plan. "You going to be okay?" He asked softly, brushing the hair out of my face, and I nodded.

"You?"

He nodded, not at all bothered by the people watching us kiss, and helped me into the taxi when it was done. Nick watched us go, Jeremy moving to stand beside him, and I sighed. This was as much a test of his control as it was mine. I wasn't sure how he'd been before he'd met me, besides a reputation for a lot of women and sex, but somehow I tended to push his limits of self-control.

We drove quietly, I stared out the window, sliding the stone out and slipping it into my pocket. The driver tried to talk, muttering something about drunk husbands abandoning their wives for a boozy night out or something, and asked me if I knew about the church. I couldn't remember what I'd said, some vague polite thing,

I had half expected the taxi driver to turn into the bad guy, to be honest, but we got there safely, I paid him with his tip, and he put the bags on the porch and left again without any issue.

"Guess that was too obvious." I muttered softly. Elena came out with Paige and Lucas, Reece with them , who hugged me, said their goodbyes, and went off back to town. I had to assume that they'd drop Reece off somewhere on the way and he'd circle back and hide. We got the bags inside, or rather ,she did and I had to continue to use the crutches and nudge them in with one end.

"The kids are asleep upstairs in the same room. Kate and Logan know that something might happen and to stay hidden. Clayton's already taught them how to do that effectively." She said softly. "Reece is out now. We're on our own."

She left the bags beside the door, neither of us could be bothered, but I did change into the clothing that wasn't Elena's pregnancy stuff. It was better fitting and I knew I'd be more flexible in it.

Tension grew, and grew, as we sat there, watched a movie and tried to pretend as if nothing was going on. Elena got up and went around the house, turning lights off in all rooms except for the living room's floor lamp, and we retreated to the study as the movie continued to play in the background. She'd even put popcorn on and the smell was drifting out the house, into the darkness, a slight rain coming and going as the clouds moved across us. It was midnight when something finally happened.

Elena heard the car before I did. I saw her head lift, tilt slightly in a direction, and mimicked her to hear the sound of an engine somewhere. It was soft, some distance away still, but it had come into the driveway. Then it stopped. Two seconds, three seconds, no engine. It hadn't left again. It had stopped somewhere between the house and the driveway.

The rain came again, a little louder, a little more insistent, pounding against the roof and the cars. It covered the sounds of outside for a little while, a few long minutes where I was aware of my own blood pounding in my head, heart rate up, Elena flipping through pages but her eyes not focused on the book.

"It's time. Stay calm. Act weak for a little bit. I've got cash and we want them to really be relaxed before we strike." She said softly. "Paige is making sure everything's okay from upstairs."

I wasn't sure how Paige was doing that but I nodded anyway.

"Go into the kitchen and get a drink." She instructed. Not 'are you thirsty?' but an order.

"Lights on?"

Elena nodded and I got up, using the crutches again now, as Elena went into the living room and flopped down on the couch in front of the TV. The rain slowed again and I heard it. Feet on wet ground. I wasn't entirely sure how many- the softer ground made them easier to hide- but I had to guess at least three. Maybe more. This meant they'd left the car some distance away. If Reece was smart he'd do something about that car before he got here. I would have, anyway. If they were going to be that obliging for us then it was rude to not slash their tyres or some such polite host action.

I grabbed a glass and got a glass of the chocolate milk in the fridge, leaning on the crutches as I drank it, standing in full view of the windows. I remembered that once they'd shot at us, Aaron had, but this was a whole different battle. This wasn't a few cashed up and testosterone pumped werewolves trying to muscle their way around America, this was something else. Elena's head didn't go up as the feet came closer but I heard her heart, heard her controlled breathing, trying to control mine.

There was a knock on the door, before the handle turned and in strode Clayton and Nick. I jumped, not expecting to see them, but Elena smiled and stood up as if this was exactly. Nick was behaving a bit drunk, staggering a bit, Clayton's arm under him.

"Lost something?" He drawled, pushing Nick onto the couch, before wrapping his arms around Elena.

This might have made sense any other time. Clayton and Nick, watching out for eeach other, except that Clayton was supposed to be somewhere else right now. And Nick … he shot me a grin, a big sheepish grin, rubbing his head. But he wasn't supposed to be here either.

"Thought you were staying in town tonight?" I asked, softly, and he shrugged as he tried to stand and failed.

"Called Clayton. Didn't want you two home alone." He replied and flopped back, feet up on Elena's coffee table. "Got a drink?"

"What kind?" I headed for the fridge, using the crutches as much as was possible.

"Beer."

Yep. It was either Nick, who was really fucking drunk and had forgotten the plan, or it wasn't Nick and someone was trying to be Nick. I heard Clayton hiss something about how he was already drunk enough but Nick insisted he wanted beer. So I got a beer, 'crutched' my way slowly to him, and gave him the bottle.

"Got a opener?"

I made my way slowly back to the kitchen and got that. "Sorry, sweetheart. I keep forgetting that. Just was worried you drove him."

If Elena hadn't figured out something was weird about Nick, she would have now, I never called him sweetheart. I called him a lot of names when I was angry, names I didn't withhold from her ears, but that wasn't one of them.

"I drove us." Clayton replied. He leaned down to kiss Elena. I saw her hesitation, saw him notice, but she sniffed. "Ain't drunk anything."

"Just making sure. I hate beer." Another lie. Elena wasn't opposed to a beer when she was alone with us and safe. So she knew as well? I relaxed a little against the kitchen bench as we watched 'Nick' and 'Clayton' settle down in front of the TV.

I really fucking hated magic. But somehow I was learning to recognise it. Elena offered htem food and they seemed pretty happy with this idea.

"Where's the kids?" Clayton asked, feet up on his table like Nick, as Elena served them food. "Upstairs?"

"School camp." She lied so easily, so simply, so calm as she put the dip out. "Remember?"

He swore softly, shifting up higher. "Sorry. It slipped my mind. Where was that again?"

"I'll find out. The address is... hold on, let me check." Elena wandered into the study.

I heard feet outside, several pairs nearby, a few on the other side of the house, heard them circling around the house, glancing back, but when Nick's attention went to me I just made for the fridge. Pretended that was my real goal. The rain started again but they were now close enough to hear properly. "I don't think dinner was enough."

"You sure you want more food? You could loose weight if y-" He was elbowed by Clayton, yelping, and changed his tune fast. "Got another beer?"

God, he'd finished that one already? I didn't answer his early dig, just threw a beer at him, and went back to making myself something to eat. Icecream, chocolate syrup, and chocolate buttons. Me? Diet? Nick wouldn't suggest that. He pretended to be horrified if I suggested it.

"Jeremy still in town?" I asked lightly as I leaned against the bench, crutches put to one side, my bad foot resting behind me without weight on it.

"Yeah. Too drunk to make it home. I didn't want to screw the car up" Clayton answered.

I wasn't sure when Elena wanted to move. She was still in the study, moving things around, and Nick got up with his second beer, taking the crutches and using them as he hobbled around the room. If I had been disabled, that was a great way to screw me up. I just watched him passively.

"Drunk driving?" I commented lightly and he grinned at me.

"You really need these stupid things?"

"If I didn't, I'd burn the stupid things, I've fallen over enough times with them." I pretended to go after him, leaning heavily on the bench, keeping my bad leg off the ground as I hopped. "Can I have those back?"

"No." This voice was not Nick's voice. It wasn't from Nick. It was from the back door, and I saw someone coming in from the hallway between old Stonehaven and new Stonehaven at the same time. The spell was broken and I saw a strange man with the crutches. He did smell like werewolf, a mutt I barely recognised from the factory, snapping the crutches easily over his knee as if they were a twig.

The voice had been Demetruis. I didn't need to turn around to know this. I smelt him, I heard him, my skin crawled at the mere presence of him. Four men, including Demetruis, and two women, all directions out of the house blocked off. Only one of them, besides Demetruis, was a mutt.

Still, I played helpless, as Elena was dragged out by the mutt, her arm twisted so far behind her back that I thought it might snap as effectively as the crutches. She was cringing, struggling, and I wasn't sure if she was seriously struggling or pretending. The more he bent her arm, the less she struggled and the whiter her face got.

Demetruis approached me, pushing me back, and I let myself fall. Let myself appear more helpless than I really was, cringing as my foot struck the ground, as my bruised ass hit the ground. "Where's the infants?"

"What infants?"

"Check the house." He ordered, one woman and a man vanishing up the stairs. Demetruis suddenly slammed his foot down on my injured foot and I didn't need to fake pain at that. They weren't life threatening but they were bad enough. Blood started to seep out through the white bandage again. Elena cringed too at this.

"Where are they? Give me the beer." He snatched the half empty bottle from the younger mutt, hitting him over the head. "You needed to drink now?"

"Which on-" I was cut off as he slammed his foot down, something cracking in the foot, and then poured the alcohol onto it, the pain of the alcohol seeping through the bandage into the open sliced skin bringing tears to my eyes... or was that the fact that he kept stepping on my foot? I wasn't sure.

A crack and Elena's hiss of pain made the mutt near me jump, distracting Demetruis a moment, and Demetruis headed at him, hitting him hard now with the bottle, it breaking. "I said restrain them, not break them."

"S...sor..."

"A month without treatment." He snapped, voice full of authority, as I tried to get to my feet, tried to use the couch. I was seriously wondering if I could walk now. "Two months for drinking on the job."

"Please, I didn..." The mutt was pleading now, face as white as Elena's, letting go of her as he stumbled back. He looked almost afraid. "Please, I'll pay... more. Double. Don't..."

"Two months. Keep arguing, see what else I can come up with." Demetruis growled, a low angry growl, betraying the mutt in himself that he kept trying to ignore.

I stood, bad leg shaking, but it was Elena's white face that made me furious enough to forget the screaming foot. She wasn't saying a word, wasn't making a sound, but he'd clearly broken an arm or something. Her arm was not where it was supposed to be.

Demetruis turned on me, suddenly, striking me so hard that I almost fell over. If it wasn't for the couch behind me I might have. "Where are the twins?"

I gawked at him then. "The... th... you took them. Last night." Didn't he?

Demetruis frowned, hesitating, and he was going to answer except that the man and woman came down, Paige between them, looking as white as Elena did, though I smelt or saw no blood on her. "What's that?"

"The coven leader. Hiding upstairs."

"Good." He turned on me, turned with so much fury that he didn't need to strike. Elena was looking worse by the second though, like she was going to vomit, and I stopped waiting for her order.

I struck him hard, right back, nearly tripping as my weight did not stay on my good foot like it should have. Demetruis was not expecting this and stepped back, as I tried to follow, but he was quick to shove me back against the couch so hard I almost fell right over it, if it wasn't for the hand clasping my throat.

"Where are they?"

"She's telling the truth. That's how she got injured and got here." Elena tried to speak, voice breathless, her skin pale. "A group of thieves broke into her house last night. Took the babies and some of her belongings, then set the place on fire."

Demetruis seemed uncertain. He glanced from me to her. Paige was bound up, shoved down, and the man and woman headed back upstairs. They were headed right for the children, I realised with horror, and I struggled to get his hand off my throat. It was closing, tightening, his fingers digging into my skin.

This was not the kickass situation I'd hoped for.

I snapped at him, hands prying at his hand, and suddenly brought my injured leg up between his legs, striking hard. Demetruis cried out in pain, releasing me, nearly falling over from the force of my leg, and I was dropped. Elena's elbow in her good arm struck hard at one of the other men, who had come to hold her, striking straight for his jaw. It broke so easily. The mutt grabbed for her, I saw, but I was distracted with Demetruis who'd tried to get his hands together, kicking at them.

He grabbed my bad foot, grabbed it with his fingers digging in, pulling me hard backwards and I fell onto the ground hard on my back, eyes squeezing shut as fingers dug into wounds. He didn't stop when I was down, kept going, his fingers finding bleeding spots and using them.

"Where's the drugs?"

Oh hell no. I didn't care if he ripped my bloody foot off. I struggled harder, kicking hard at him, while a kit was brought over. Elena was being held still again, her broken arm used against her, face white as they wrenched it. I saw it injected into her first.

"Check her now." He instructed the last two men. They hadn't done much except stand and wait, one with a bag over his shoulder, and they approached only when Elena's eyes rolled back. She was carried to the couch and dropped there.

I struggled hard, the mutt coming over to hold my shoulders down, maybe hoping to win 'weeks back' for his drug. But the sight of what the man and woman upstairs brought down made me freeze.

They had Dominic.

He stared around, eyes wide, as they carted him down the stairs.

"Now, where's my children?" Demetruis said, softly, as he stood up slowly and went towards the toddler, lifting him up by the scruff of his Pjs.

"I do-"

He shook Dominic, shook him so hard that Dominic's little head swung back and forward, and I cried out in fear, struggling, trying to get up. No. "Fuck you, if you don't believe me, go to the house! Their scents are all over the place!"

Demetruis dropped Dominic onthe ground, Dominic limp, falling strangely, heart stopped. Neck in the wrong position. Eyes bleeding. I struggled, even as the mutt held me easily down, even as one of the 'doctors' came with a needle. "Their scent?"

"You're a fucking mutt. Even you'd smell it." I snapped. "I ...I thought _you_ took them!"

The mutt above me nodded a fraction. He shouldn't have had to, Demetruis should have known this, but he considered it.

My eyes did not leave Dominic's body. My skin was itching, the inner wolf screaming now to have control, shaking from the need, the absolute need, to kill the man. I didn't know what he'd done to Dominic but it didn't sound good. Werewolf strength shaking a toddler. I was speechless with rage and horror at this. Paige's face was white and she was crying, her eyes fixed on Dominic, her chest heaving. The woman gagged her.

I'd forgotten Reece. Hadn't even heard him coming. The sound of my heavy breathing, my panicked heart, of Paige's soft sobs against the gag in her mouth and the rain outside, it blocked him out until the very second the blonde wolf crashed through the door, teeth flashing, going straight at the mutt holding me down. It took a second for him to get his target, get his arm, and I grabbed the mutt's head when he let go of me, forcing him to turn. Towards Reece. It was exactly what Reece wanted, the unprotected neck, and I got up as his teeth found the neck of the mutt and clamped down. Blood spurted, a hell of a lot of it, as the mutt tried in vain to dislodge Reece.

I lunged for Demetruis, didn't even wait to stand, and he jumped back, nearly stumbling over the toddler he'd just dropped there.

"We're leaving." He snapped. No words to me, nothing. "If you didn't finish with her, I'm leaving you behind."

Reece stood up, pale muzzle blood red, his eyes narrowing as he saw Dominic and saw Demetruis and put the two together. He lunged at him, the fur standing up, only to be knocked back by a spell that burnt and singed anything in its path, Reece included.

Somehow, between this wall of flames, and the pair that'd gone upstairs, Demetruis got outside. No one followed him.

Reece moved closer, whining softly, Paige trying to get the ropes untied and grab a fire extinguisher to get the flames out. He hadn't come for Elena's twins. He'd come for ours. I grabbed Dominic and tried to find a heart beat. Something. It'd vanished while he was escaping. I whimpered, pushing at him, trying to find a response. He was bleeding. He wasn't breathing.

Paige scooted closer, her face white, hand on my arm. "It's okay. Anne. It's not him. I know it looks like him but..."

God. I realised what she'd done. I swore, eyes shutting, tears, trying to block out the image of Dominic. Dead on the ground. Reece nuzzled up to me. "I fucking..."

"I know. They're safe upstairs. We all saw... god." She looked like she wanted to hug me but Reece did it good enough, his head nuzzling against me. "He's fine. Asleep. Stay calm and don't focus. I have to hold it a while longer."

"All of it?"

"I could only do the children. I'm sorry... If I did more, he'd notice." She touched my arm slowly.

I stood up, ignoring my bad foot, and headed for Elena, trying so damn hard to not see that illusion she'd made. That fucked up illusion. It was what Demetruis would have done though, what he would have done in his anger, and I knew that this proved my point. He wasn't like his son. I was only going to be happy when I was staring at his corpse.

Elena was drugged out of her mind, her arm broken, legs up. They'd stuffed her with ...I inhaled, growled, Reece coming after me. He nipped at my pants, trying to pull at me, but I tried to cover her up. I knew that smell, knew what they'd done. What he wanted from her wasn't her power or her death. No wonder why he'd been pissed off when the mutt had hurt her. She was the one he wanted to keep healthy for nine months.

"There should be a morning after pill in the kit somewhere... Jeremy keeps it either in the kitchen or the ..." Reece pulled harder, growling now, tearing at my pants. I suddenly got it. Demetruis was the priority. "Paige, tell me something only you'd know."

It wasn't an expected question. She blinked at me, hesitating, but Reece stopped tugging and waited. I wasn't leaving Elena alone with the kids like this unless I was sure it was Paige.

"I made Elena hold you down while I waxed your legs." She offered, her voice still shaking. "Stood in your bedroom while you were giving birth, after making you watch someone cut them out in another illusion. Dominic came out feet first, head down, all in five seconds. Nick almost pissed himself seeing what birth looked like. Antonio had to help when he went into shock. Um..."

That had to do. I sighed, started to tug my shirt off, not caring about being half naked or not. "Can you find the kit?"

"I'll find it." Paige nodded. "I'll find it, find the pills, protect the kids. We'll be fine. Get going."

I stripped off as I limped for the study, Reece beside me, I used him to lean on so I could walk. The change was so easy, so fucking easy, with Dominic's scent and blood in my nostrils, my body had waited for this all fucking day. I whined, slid up, bad paw avoided. As we raced out, I saw Dominic's body, squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to stay calm. In focus. The last thing we needed was for me to loose control again and go feral.

The two of us made our way out, nose to the ground, tracing Demetruis as he headed down the driveway as fast as he could. We could hear them in the distance heading for the car.

Reece took off and I hurried after him, ears down, teeth bared, more than ready to finally sink my teeth into the bastard.


	19. Captured

We didn't run fast, we didn't need to as they were on foot, instead we made our way slowly and carefully through the forest. Reece stayed a little deeper in, the growth a little thicker around him, so that his blonde-brown fur wasn't standing out as much. In this dark night, with the moon hidden behind the clouds, it shouldn't have mattered so much but I knew after what he'd seen he wasn't leaving anything to chance.

He followed my lead, followed my pace, happy to let me be the one giving orders now. I traced them, their scent blown to mine through the rain, ears swiviling around so they were locked on our targets.

When we were close enough, I lowered myself, slowing down to a slow crawl, Reece right beside me, keeping deep in the bush. The voices were angry, annoyed, arguing.

Something about a nail in a tire that was now competely flat. He nudged at me at that, a soft chuff, and I knew who'd been responsible for it. It explained why he'd been a little slower to attack than I expected. They were calling for help- another car had dropped the doctors off, a taxi, and it was coming right back. I licked Reece for that, and he nuzzled against me, clearly pleased with himself for that.

We should have been close enough for Demetruis's instict, at the very least, to notice something. Notice Reece's scent near the car, perhaps, or on the tire. But he didn't seem to see us, didn't seem to hear or smell us, and I wondered just how much he ignored the side of him that was werewolf. If he was bitten it may have happened against his will. He never seemed interested in this side of him, except that it was a weakness in his sons, and hadn't even thought to check for scents without checking with a more experianced mutt. This world, this werewolf world, it clearly wasn't his. He even had his back to the forest.

I didn't let my guard down though. Reece didn't either. Inexperianced mutt or not, he was still dangerous, and Reece was following my lead in this. I knew he was confused, or maybe he was trusting me, but when I heard where they were going, I wanted them to go there first.

They were going to Forestwatch. Demetruis was going to find out who'd taken the twins. And if he didn't, at least he'd smell for himself that it wasn't me who'd hidden them, and would give me an advantage. So it wasn't him, or he hadn't been informed of their reappearance yet, I wasn't sure which it was. It wasn't time to think. The taxi pulled up in the darkness, headlights bright and cutting through the rain, the two of us slinking back so our eyes didn't reflect the light, and

Reece slid closer, the two of us watching as all five of them tried to crowd into the taxi. Then it took off, slowly, and we took off after it.

We didn't follow the road. We went through the bush, racing hard now, the pain in my back paw nothing in my anger and determination to hunt him down. I'd never run like this in my life, never attempted it or needed it, but we ran fast, streaking through the thick bush, leaping over fallen logs, around trees, ignoring the startled flutter of birds, the swooping of several owls out of our path, breathing fast and controlled. Reece took the lead again, leading through the bush, and I was close behind him. Nearly tripped over a third startled owl as it took off with a hoot, an upset mouse in its claws, but it wasn't important.

The only thing important was the man who'd just pulled up at Forestwatch and who was breaking the front door down.

We slinked closer, the back door to the laundry open a fraction from Reece's attempt at rescuing stuff, and made our way through the back as he moved upstairs. Moments after we'd entered, feet came around, backs turned to us to watch the forest.

Now all we had to do was isolate Demetruis. With two of us, this wasn't so tough, their backs turned to us now. The tough part was doing it quietly. Reece and I slid across the edge of the house inside. Demetruis was upstairs, we'd have to hurry, and I heard Reece go through the house to care of the front. The taxi was gone again but only a few hundred metres. I wasn't sure if we could chase it off or not.

No time to think about that though. I slid across the floor on my stomach, making my way for the back door, aware that my only job right now was to get these extras done and out of the way. Heart hammering, I approached the first, their attention on the forest with the flashlight...

Only to be pushed aside by Reece. He pushed me to go back in, to go outside, and pushed at me again till I got going. So he wanted me to get Demetruis? Fine by me.

I made my way back into the dark house, hearing and smelling more than Demetruis now as he knelt, hearing the sniffling of someone I did not want to hear crying. Dominic. I inhaled, slowly, and understood why Reece had been so insistent I come in.

Was it another illusion? I didn't know. Didn't care. I heard him try and push the bedroom door open, which wasn't happening when the roof was more or less flopped over our bedroom, the unsteady hallway floor creaking and threatening to break under his feet.

Each paw carefully found the stairs, one by one, low, the unhappy wood groaning under my weight as much as it was under Demetruis. I could see him now though, see him kneeling, trying to sniff the ground. Beside him a small toddler sat, crying, and whoever he tried to get up, Demetruis just pushed him back down without so much as an annoyed glance at him.

"Shut up, kid, and just sit still."

Dominic didn't answer. A lifetime of adoring pack and suddenly someone was treating him like this... he looked so hurt, so upset, and I growled without thinking.

Demetruis's head swung up and he snatched up Dominic, who jumped, standing up. "Shouldn't you be at home? Grieving?"

I saw Dominic right there. I didn't know if it was an illusion or not though. I stood up straighter, as Dominic spotted me too, his arms coming for me as he tried to get himself free. He knew Mama wolf when he saw her. Demetruis scowled, as I slid closer, teeth baring, fur rising up. I wasn't just going to kill him...

I changed my mind as I lunged, changed what I was aiming for, not just because he held Dominic in front of his throat with one hand, using the back of Dominic's Pjs... but ...he wasn't worth my efforts. Much more valuable and fun to us alive. Instead of going for a throat, I went for one of his hands. Clamped down on it, growling, pulling him hard, my teeth going right through skin, muscle, crushing the bone there. He screamed, Dominic screamed, and I grabbed the wrist, doing the same thing to the muscle and nerves, cutting them, destroying them.

It was a promice of what I'd do later, as a human, that a 'fast death' was no where near good enough for this bastard. Demetruis kicked at me, trying to get me off, and I tried to go for his other arm.

"Try it and I'll drop the child over the banister." He hissed. "This one isn't an illusion."

He held Dominic over the edge, Dominic wriggling, squirming, the Pjs cutting too much into his neck for my liking. What if... it wasn't real? Dominic's smell filled my nostrils, the distress of my puppy filling every fibre, every nerve, and I growled deeper, the rumble vibrating throughout the hallway.

He was moving sideways, close ro the banister, as I stepped closer. Reece appeared, stinking like blood, his blonde fur speckled with blood. I hadn't even heard it myself.

"You think I didn't know what that witch was doing?" Demetruis snapped, angry, holding Dominic so hard that Dominic's eyes filled with tears. "She did it to my son. I'm not an idiot like him. I made sure we got the real one."

I growled, moving closer, and he held Dominic so hard that he burst into tears.

"You want to risk it, bitch?" He snapped. "Risk that it's another spell, after I easily noticed the first? Change. We talk. Or I kill it."

I changed. Right in front of him. I didn't care, didn't care what he thought, Reece standing guard as I did, letting him see the transformation, the contorting, my focus only on Dominic's crying and not on anything else.

When it was done, I stood up slowly, Reece helping push me up, standing right beside me. I narrowed my eyes at Demetruis who'd watched the entire thing without flinching, disgust clear on his face.

"You don't want to kill him." I said, softly, a trace of a threat in my voice. "You should be protecting him."

"Tell me why I should be doing that." Demetruis snapped. "He's nothing."

"He's your son's older brother. The only one most suited to guiding your son through his first changes." I was bluffing, I lied easily, the more important thing right now being Demetruis's attention. Reece started the change as I talked. "The pack doesn't do this. The werewolf closest to his age will. Dominic will guide Reece, with Logan helping, because he is the closest in age."

"Bullshit."

"Don't you remember how the change was?" I did. Madness, pain, blood, all of it. I remembered and I'd seen so many girls go through the early days of the bite, that I knew it wasn't just me. "How hard it was? There's a day when your son, Reece, will face that. He will either survive, come out of it with a madness, or he'll believe he's a wolf and never return to human. Or even the possibility that he'll get stuck halfway through the change. There's only one who can guide him properly in the pack. It has to be Dominic." I said softly. Calmly, a calmness I didn't feel as I saw Dominic thrash and cry and try and grab for me. "They've met. Bonded. Logan is only a fifty fifty chance that the change will be successful without madness. I've got less chance again. And you... I imagine your sons were much more stable before their first changes, weren't they?"

His inexperience with this was starting to show again. This time there was no mutt to consult. "What are you offering?"

"You've betrayed our trust. Over and over. You told me you don't betray allies, and I was willing to work with you and share them with you, but you tried to kill me. I'm offering nothing now. You're the one who should be offering something.." Voice still soft, but threatening, while I took a step towards him.

"I didn't try and kill you. We had an agreement. The only point I would have tried was at the end of it." He snapped. Stepped back, the hallway shaking under the two of them. "That wasn't your trick to get out of the agreement? Use the sorcerer to escape harm?"

"Lucas isn't full strength. He got the disease." I knew I was putting Lucas at risk here. Knew that'd piss his father off. But I had a child right here to protect and if he didn't like it, tough. "We almost got crushed. He couldn't help. Give your son's brother. Stop fucking around."

He glared at me, but he was uncertain now, and it showed. "You didn't cause the explosion?"

"Are you crazy? We would never risk exposing ourselves so close to home. In our own territory." I snapped. "The pack's been here for generations."

"I didn't cause it. You didn't cause it. So who caused it?"

I didn't answer. I didn't believe him. I lunged at him, snatching Dominic up as the floor gave way beneath Demetruis, and held him hard against my chest as he cried and clung to me, his breathing hard, backing up, Reece standing up, panting, and hurrying ahead of me. He grabbed something out of a locked drawer as he went past the linen closet, snapping the lock, and I was horror-struck to see a gun. In my house. In with my towels. No time to snap at Reece, he did something with the object and jumped right down off the stairwell, buck naked, blocking Demetruis off, the gun pointed right into his chest.

"You don't want to go just yet." He said, smoothly, standing up straighter.

He shot a look at me. "Let me out."

I replied, soft, dangerous, leaning against the wall heavily as my bad foot refused to hold me up any more. "We're not letting you leave for a while."

"I thought werewolves were beyond guns?" He snapped, snatching for the gun, and a gun rang out, a loud shocking noise that frightened Dominic into silence, that echoed throughout the house, that echoed around my head with the unexpected noise of it. Demetruis went down hard, breathing hard, his eyes squeezing shut as he grasped his leg with his last good hand.

"Werewolves can adapt." Nick said, casually, as he lowered the gun and moved out of the shadows, Lucas and Jeremy right beside him.

I stared at Nick, standing there like he'd been there the whole time, Lucas right beside him. Nick shrugged at me. "Elena's orders. We were watching this house."

Jeremy and Lucas grabbed Demetruis, tying his arms back.

"This my real baby?" I asked Lucas, who glanced up, and nodded. I sighed, tightening my arms around Dominic who was still wailing his head off, kissing him gently. "Shh, baby. No one harms you. Nick?"

Nick had been standing there, eyes fixed on Dominic, frozen like a statue. He flinched when I called his name, stepping closer. "Is he hurt?"

"I'm going on a diet." I commented, as Nick's eyes traced up and down my naked body, tightening my grip on Dominic. It was a bizarre statement, maybe, considering the situation... but I knew Nick's reaction so well to this idea, as I'd had it more than once after being called a 'plus sized woman' more than once in shops so... I had to wait and see it.

"Why?" Nick blinked at me, genuine bewilderment as his eyes went over my naked body, his frown line appearing as he saw the really bad state of my foot. The bandage was now blood red, and I'd left a beautiful trail of red footprints down the stairs. "Was it that bad when I left you? Come here, it's okay." He came across, lifting Dominic out of my arms, stroking his back gently, exactly the way Dominic loved it. I sighed, relaxed somewhat, and tried to calm down. Tried to release the blood lust.

"Tell me something only you know." I added, quieter, and he glanced up.

"Your left nipple causes panic attacks, but your right one..." Nick got cut off when I shoved at him, face going red and he grinned a weak grin. "There's sixteen scars on your back. You believe in aliens. And our last cuddle lasted seven minutes."

Reece snorted, beside me, and Nick kicked at him.

Jeremy stood up slowly, once Lucas had Demetruis bound, and made his way over. "You dislocated your shoulder, your first time in your cage." He said it, before I could ask, and knelt to check my foot. He inhaled slowly, eyes narrowing, prodding at the bloody foot. "What happened?"

"Demetruis happened. It can wait, Jeremy, Elena needs you. His pet mutt was a bit rough." I pulled it out of his way. Jeremy glanced up, nodding, and standing.

"I decided to not kill him." I said, softly to Reece, who nodded a fraction. "Clayton's going to want to have a word with him."

"Not just him." Reece agreed, tugging a sheet from the linen closet around him like a toga, and draped one around my shoulders. "Now what?"

"We have to get back to Stonehaven." I was worried about Elena.

Reece carted Demetruis out into the boot of the car. Then he piled on the dead bodies on top of him, snorting as Demetruis tried to say something, but someone had gagged him beautifully and he was stuck. The clean up would have to happen later.

We got into the car, Nick pulling me into his lap and wrapping his shirt around Dominic, kissing us both until Dominic had calmed down and had fallen asleep between us. The quick drive passed by in an instant, or maybe I'd fallen asleep, because when I woke Nick was trying and failing to lift me up. I got up, Nick carried Dominic in, and Reece helped me inside as Lucas hurried in.

Elena was sitting there, groggy, a blanket over her lap, and Jeremy went straight to her. I flopped into a seat, breathing out slowly, hoping to god that this wasn't another illusion. I was too tired to take it any more. Paige came at me, full of apologies, tears, saying that ...something about an illusion over an illusion or... I didn't know. Somehow they'd tricked her into thinking Dominic was safe when he wasn't or something. I shrugged her off and told her it was fine.

I kept my eyes on him while Nick helped me dress, leaning against Nick heavily, and Jeremy told him to get the bandage off and to rewrap it firmly till he could be sure Elena's arm was secure. Nick wrapped it too firm, Jeremy made him do it again twice, but when he kept doing it too tight, Jeremy told him to get me a strong coffee instead. Reece refused to do it, Paige was still horrified that Dominic had been in danger... and it was only Lucas in the end who could cope with the task, to my amusement.

I fell asleep, good leg curled up, Dominic safe in my arms. I woke to see them dragging Demetruis in, his body covered in the blood of the others, watched them take him downstairs as he pleaded to Lucas to be taken into custody by the sorcerers... but I had no sympathy for him. He was the perfect present for Clayton. I knew, knew that Clayton wouldn't have been surprised if I started without him, but somehow Demetruis just wasn't worth the effort. I deserved some sleep. He could wait till morning when Clayton showed up and saw Elena. Then I'd 'skip' on downstairs to the basement and _then_ assist the pack protector if he wanted.

Not now. More important things to do. Like sleep, drink coffee, let Nick fuss over me. Explain why two of the beers from the fridge were open and why it was all over the floor. Nick was not impressed when he found that out and unwrapped the bandage straight away, trying to wash it clear, even if the blood had more or less gotten rid of the stinging alcohol.

Jeremy was coming over now anyway. Elena was too sedated to talk much, her arm wrapped up in a temporary splint and sling till he could be sure whatever they'd given her had left her system- he wanted to give her something for pain but couldn't... or something... and he got some sort of numbing cream on the foot and started to try and stitch up the damage done.

Reece went to make food in the kitchen when he started this, pale, and Nick went upstairs with Dominic after a few minutes of this. I listened, getting tense, some part of me afraid that ...I didn't know, the others wouldn't be there. But they were. I heard them wake, heard them try and talk to Nick, only to fall asleep again when he settled down with them and started to read them a book.

"I'll check Dominic in a few minutes." Jeremy said softly, as he squeezed tenderised skin, getting the fine wire through it. "Did he break something in your foot?"

"Sounded like it. Is Elena's arm bad?" My attention went back to her. She was curled up against the side of the couch, her arm in a sling, eyes moving fast under the eyelids. "I didn't protect her."

"The one responsible for her arm is Demetruis and the dead mutt." He replied, calm, relaxed. "Elena's not one who needs protection. We didn't expect him to harm her when he wanted that from her."

"He got pretty angry." Paige said, from the kitchen, the smell of coffee coming from the machine there. "With the werewolf."

"He withheld two months of treatment." I added, and Jeremy glanced up. "The werewolf pleaded and begged... like he was addicted." I remembered the look in his face, when he'd been punished, that horror, that side of his body screaming. I didn't know what Demetruis hooked them on but it clearly was addictive enough. "Do we know what drug they use?"

"Not yet." Jeremy shook his head. "People addicted to a substance can be unstable, unpredictable, so neither of you could have accurately predicted that the mutt would behave that way with a restrained captive. Usually, they'd be distracted by your scent, not breaking arms."

"Elena intended on catching them by surprise." Paige added.

They were trying to reassure me it wasn't my fault. I wasn't sure if it was. Maybe it wasn't as important as deciding what to do next.

"We heard every word you said with Demetruis in your home." Jeremy added, cutting the wire, and starting a new stitch somewhere else. "You handled it fine. Stayed in control. No one expects you to do everything perfectly."

_I did_, I wanted to argue, but I didn't. Instead I waited till he'd done that one. "Can you check Dominic now?"

"Let me do a few more." He hurried though, a little less neat than usual, and left Lucas to wrap it back up while Jeremy headed upstairs.

I drank the coffee as I waited. He came back down, reassured me that everything was fine except for some bruising, and Nick was going to use an ice pack to help reduce that. Nick came through, kissing my head again, before he vanished upstairs with the ice pack from the freezer.

"Don't forget to wrap it!" I called, as Jeremy returned to sewing up the foot.

Like it had when I'd first screwed it, it wasn't as bad as it looked, just a lot of blood and a lot of extra bruising and swelling. Maybe something broken or fractured. This time I was going to need the crutches, whether I liked it or not, and Jeremy would have to go get some new ones.

He only went downstairs to tend to Demetruis's maimed hand or gunshot when he was sure that the rest of us were fine, only when Jeremy had no one, pack or ally, to tend to. He was calm, cool headed, but I saw it, traces if an anger there he rarely let anyone see. Seeing a grown man do that to a toddler would make anyone ...it should make the entire world angry. Should make people pick up weapons and get ready for a war.

Reece helped me upstairs. Nick and the triplets were in the 'new Stonehaven's main bedroom', all three babies asleep now, Nick glancing up as Reece dropped me off in his toga.

"Get some clothing on." He called, Reece shrugged, kissing me as he ducked away with a small grin.

I crawled onto the bed beside Nick, groaning softly, and he crawled over to kiss me.

"So you were listening?" I asked, as he helped get me into the part of the bed not taken up by the toddlers.

:"Jeremy told me to stay quiet." He replied, head flopping down so his chin was on my arm. "Even while he was threatening ...he told me to let you handle it."

I breathed out, slowly, shutting my eyes at this news. Jeremy had trusted me enough to handle it, even though they could have easily taken over, even though they had Dominic.

"We helped Reece get rid of the other ones." He added, stroking my face, fingers rubbing my scalp as I tried to relax. "What you think of my gun skills?"

"The look on Demetruis's face..." My lips twitched, the man so used to us doing things in our set ways, suddenly faced with a pack who were willing to adapt. I opened one eye and admitted,"It was impressive."

Nick grinned. "Like my gun?"

"Your entrance was impressive. I'm not sure if I want a gun in my house." I yawned, curling up, Nick sliding a little so I could relax.

He didn't answer, just curled up beside me, the two of us laying there on the edge of the bed, my feet dangling over the side, Nick's arm over me, my hand against his chest. I didn't relax, no matter how many times he tried to stroke my back, I lay there. Waiting. Tense. It was only when Nick's phone vibrated and his awaited words finally came, "They're coming home now. The twins and the thieves. Clayton said everything's fine. You can relax," that my body released any last holds on conciousness.

I sunk, slipped away, Nick's hand stroking my back as I finally let myself relax.

My body was fucked. Exhausted. I didn't dream, I just slept, and slept, and slept, even as I heard a car arrive. No one tried to wake me, no one tried to make me come back or do anything else, they just let me sleep. So I slept.

It was lunch before I woke, the smell of food coming from the bedside table, and I opened one eye, groggy, seeing Jeremy coming in with a tray of food and a new pair of crutches. He smiled when he saw I was awake.

"Everything good?" I asked, trying to sit up, the triplets gone, Nick downstairs somewhere.

"Clayton's back."

"Matt?" I sat up straighter, then. "The babies?"

"Matt was hog tied, more or less, the babies were a little upset, have a rash from dirty nappies, a little underweight." Jeremy admitted. "Eat this and come down. They're being fussed over by everyone, you don't need to rush, we can handle it another few minutes."

I ate as fast as I could anyway, the soup thick, bread all fresh and crusty and covered in melting butter, but it wasn't good enough to distract me from what was waiting downstairs. , and then got onto the crutches and made my way downstairs. The problem of how to handle so many little ones with a bad foot was a problem I'd have to deal with later. Now was a bad time.

Nick glanced up as I made my way carefully down the stairs, eventually giving up on crutch-stair-descending, sticking them under one arm, and using the banister and hop-hop instead. Faster, better, but he looked so amused that I threatened to hit him with a crutch.

"Love you?" He offered, as I raised it.

Someone lifted me up from behind, Clayton's scent crashing into me with it, an arm looped around my waist and carting me down. Not exactly in the 'hero' sense, more in the 'it's in the way and I'm in a hurry' sense, which benefited both of us.

"Find your present downstairs?" I asked lightly as he dropped me back down, resting back on the crutches.

Clayton grinned, a small grin, with only a trace of worry about Elena showing. "I may have peeked. You forgot to wrap it. Found yours yet?"

I shook my head and he led me through the lower houses into Stonehaven's study. Like they usually would be if they were here, the twins had been set up in the quieter and safer study, both of them fast asleep in a cot. I thought they looked bony but that may have been my personal fears being protected onto them...

They seemed to wake up somewhat, as I came in, eyes finding mine and brilliant smiles shining up. Like nothing had happened. It was incredible, that they were fine like this, but maybe it'd been less distressing for them than it might have been for other babies. They did spend a lot of their early life around different people.

"So how'd you find them?" I found a seat and flopped into it, relaxing, glancing around. "Where's Matt?"

"Waiting for Elena's punishment." Clayton flopped down nearby. "Elena tell you we were trapping them?" When I nodded, he continued. "We got them at their meeting place. Waited for money to be handed around. Then Matt strikes, this little angry wolf, going right for their hamstrings all over again, and we nearly lost the contact trying to buy them."

"Bloody hell." I groaned softly.

"Exactly. So rather than tell him to come back, I pointed out the contact to him." Clayton's lips twitched. "He got the hint pretty fast. Disabled him while we came over. Fighting, spells, a broken rib, and then we've got them and the twins are safe. They hadn't slept. Probably kept awake all night by these two crying. One of the pair, the injured man, actually helped us. Said he'd had enough of it. Stealing babies was the last straw. Apparently his wife's just had a kid and no drug is worth stealing babies."

I had been so busy attacking him that I hadn't stopped to think about this. It was so easy to see people as 'good' or 'bad'. Truthfully, they weren't either, just desperate. I knew what it was like to crave a drug, crave it so badly that your entire history went out the window, your heart, your relationships, till the only thing that mattered was to get the stuff back inside you. I sighed. "Did you let him off?"

"He's downstairs. Jeremy may have spent a little more time on his injuries." Clayton admitted. "We're letting the Cabal decide."

"Serves other bastards right though." I muttered, glancing down, Rose going for the toy tied to the edge of the porta-crib as Reece went back to sleep.

Clayton leaned back, slowly, only showing the slightest hint that he was the one who might have had the broken rib. I wasn't sure if he did. "We let them spend the night in the boot with the nappies they should have changed. They're keeping Demetruis company. How'd last night go here?"

He probably knew but I told him anyway. He frowned, listened, didn't say a word.

"How's Elena doing?"

"Awake, Jeremy fixed the bone, re-splinted it. She should be fine in a week or two." He didn't mention the other thing and I didn't ask. I saw it in the back of his mind, just behind his eyes, just behind his calm face, like he was about ready to explode and he was saving it for a specific person downstairs.

"Sorry. I didn't plan on that happening." I said it, after a while, voice softer now. Clayton didn't answer, neither to reassure me I was right or wrong, just stayed quiet.

"You hungry?"

I nodded, the soup barely scratching it, and we got up and headed into the kitchen with the baby monitor in hand.

"Mutts on drugs. Fuck." He finally said, only when we'd sat down with food, and I'd gotten up to get bread.

"That isn't normal?" I buttered more bread, leaning on the edges of the crutches, and saw him shake his head.

"Waste of money." Clayton shook his head.

"You wouldn't see them work for any other race either, I bet." I muttered. Pride was a big thing... tying yourself like that, it was a huge blow to the ego for a werewolf. I made my way across, slowly, sliding into one of the bar stools beside him.

"No."

Conversation ended and we focused on eating everything again, quiet, preoccupied with stuffing our faces instead. I wasn't entirely sure where everyone was, except that Nick was in the living room with the triplets, and wasn't as bothered right now. Downstairs was the only thing that had my attention.

"When are you going down? After lunch?" I glanced in the direciton fo the door to the basement, eager now to get on with it, the urge to ...I didn't know. Strangle him like he'd done to me, that'd be a nice start. Drug him. Something.

Clayton shook his head. "Na, no rush. Adam's sealed his gunshot, he's got some company, it could be well into the night before I have a talk with our guest. You planning on coming down?" He gave me a look then, a 'Who said I invited you?' look, and I resisted the urge to shrink back.

"Now and then." I admitted. "There's a lot of ...guests there."

"Not without my permission." The smile had faded now. "Don't care if it's ten guests. You're not stepping a foot down there till I say so."

"I know." Only when I slumped a little, did Clayton relax, and I prodded at the crumbs left behind at the plate.

"That being said, I got something for you." He stood up and went around to one of the locked drawers. Checking that the kids weren't around, Clayton pulled something out, long, metal, and round edged. "Ever see that movie about the dragon tattoo?"

"Girl with the dragon tattoo?" I was confused for a second. Just a second. Then I suddenly got it. The scene, after the man had raped her, where she'd raped him right back.

He pushed it back into the drawer and locked it. "See how much we can get him to talk once you've tried to get him pregnant."

I tried to not laugh, tried, but a tiny snort came out. I didn't enjoy torture, not at all, and I knew that Clayton wasn't going to let him feel everything... but damn. If there was anything a rapist deserved...

"You sure about that?"

"You got to put your reputation out there too, remember." Clayton flopped back down. "If you don't want to add that to your reputation, fine by me."

It would be pretty spectacular and would make any mutt really think twice before approaching myself or my daughters, I had to admit, but now that my amusement was gone, the reality of it was there. It hurt. It really fucking hurt to do that to a person. I should have known. "Maybe I'll drug him up a little." I admitted, very quietly, and I saw his face relax somewhat. While I loathed the guy, I wasn't keen on causing pain for the sake of it. It was more about the message than the pain. "So he feels it but doesn't ..." Scream in agony like I had? "I wonder if that drug he slipped me would work."

"Got it for you already." He fished into his pocket and pushed it at me. Tiny pills, horrible date rape drugs, the kind of thing that society should burn. "Nick doesn't want you to be there for most of it. But I may need your help once or twice. There's no rush with this."

"Actually..." Luca's voice came from the living room now, soft. "My father is intending on retrieving them by nightfall. You can probably buy some time with Demetruis but the rest, as they aren't mutts, are more or less facing his interrogation team."

Clayton swore softly and stood up. "I better get to work then. Was looking forward to paying with the kids today. Fuck. You- I'll come for you. Don't come down. No one comes down unless I say." _That_ was an order, I knew that, and I nodded.

Instead of breaking orders, I popped my head into the living room to tell Nick I'd be with Matt, and vanisehd before the triplets could grab at me. Dominic wasn't as okay as Reece and Rose were, he only glanced up a second, I knew this was going to take some time for him.

Matt was asleep. He woke the second I slid inside the room though, a horrible looking bruise down one side of his face, an uneasy grin as he tried to get up. It looked like he'd gotten a bit beaten up too.

"I had to get the babies back." He said, defiantly, crossing his arms. I sighed. The kid was nearly ten now.

"Clayton said you followed his order well." I admitted, and he nodded.

"He just showed me who to attack so..." Matt shrugged, grimaced, and I made him sit down as I checked out the injuries. "It's just bruising. Jeremy said it'll heal soon."

"I know you want to fight too now." I said softly, as I tried to find each bruise, leaning on the crutches. "But it isn't just bruises when you fight. You know we got injured?"

"Yeah." He admitted. "Is Elena's arm okay?"

"It'll take some time to heal but she'll be fine. The point is, Elena's a skilled fighter, and even she gets hurt. I've been learning for a few years and I make mistakes too. I want you to learn. I know … the instinct, the wolf, it wants to do it."

"Why didn't you hunt them then? They hurt you and hurt your babies." He bared his teeth slightly, I saw it, the flicker of the wolf instead of the child. It wasn't a kid I was appealing to. It was the wolf, the instinct to fight, to hunt, to protect.

"Because Elena's in charge. Our Alpha. She had a different plan and it worked." More or less. When I was satisfied he wasn't falling apart I sat down beside him. "I wanted to hunt them. She needed them to think I was too injured so she could trap someone here."

He nodded slowly, leaning against me just a tiny bit. "I could help."

"You are going to help. My point is, we're learning, we've got years of it, and we're making mistakes. The mutts are grown men who'll happily kill. You need to learn before you take them on. Get bigger. Let your body grow up so it matches them." I tried to be patient, as he scowled. "They're going to get old and you're going to be young and fit."

"Like Clayton?"

My lips twitched at that. "Clayton's got control over his instincts now. He follows Elena's orders, like he followed Jeremy's orders, and he thinks."

"I did think." Matt said, softer. "They wouldn't notice me. Tiny wolf going at them. And they didn't till I got one."

"And you got hurt." I reminded him, pressing a bruise. "I promice. You're going to be able to do all of this when you get bigger. Kate and Logan are a year younger than you and when they start their changes, you'll be the best person to help them, and protect them. We'll all be there but you three are friends now."

"Best friends." He agreed, softer. "When do they start changing too?"

"I don't know." I admitted. "Elena can tell you. They'll be weak for a while though while it happens, I think, the mutts will notice. Esspically Kate. Her smell will start to ..."

"It's like a dog in heat." His knowlage surprised me, as he nodded gravely, though I wasn't sure why or how he got it. "Like Jess in Footrot flats."

Oh. I laughed, nodding. Susie had loved that comic and I'd gotten it for Matt's birthday several years back, and the movie, because it reminded him of her. "Exactly like that. So _stop_ sneaking out, I don't want you to loose an arm or a leg from an angry mutt, and start training instead."

He sighed, flopped more against my side. "Am I getting punished?"

"Maybe tomorrow. I am glad you like those babies." I admitted. He grinned a little, up at me, big grin, dark red hair, freckles, the picture too damn cute to ground right now.

"Can I learn karate?" Matt asked, after a while. I stared at him. "Kids are learning it in school. Is that okay?"

"You might loose your temper. Can you stop the change?"

"I could go outside. Or call you. You could stay in town while I do it." He was really keen, I realised, and I gave in again.

"I'll look into it."

"Can I go downstairs now?" He jumped up, looking bored, "Or to Logan and Kate's room?"

"Did one of the older werewolves tell you to stay here?"

Matt nodded, frowning somewhat.

"We have to follow orders. Remember?" I shook my head and he frowned worse, the smile vanishing from his eyes, flopping back onto the bed. "I'll see what Elena says in a few hours."

"Fine."

"Think it as part of your training." I offered, and he didn't look impressed at all by that, grump all over his face instead of that brilliant smile just seconds before. It was time to retreat.

I retreated, tempted to go downstairs, but instead headed for the room Nick and I would share. I wasn't sure why, somehow the sight of Dominic's haunted face was bothering me too much, I felt like if I saw it ...I would snap. Go downstairs, snap necks, I didn't know. To think that the man who injured my son, attacked my Alpha, and who haunted our steps was just down there...

It was driving me mad.

The only calming thought I had was that Clayton was right there with him.

I sat on the bed, the window open, letting the strong winds blow into the room. I could smell water, smell the promise of rain on the wind, knew we were in for another storm when I saw an anxious spider skuttle into the open window and sit in the corner of the room.

After a while Reece joined me, sitting down silently beside me, and we watched the clouds get chased across the sky by the wind without speaking for a long time.

"Sorry I was so slow." He said, finally, and I shrugged.

"You did good with his tire."

"I did." Reece agreed, grinned somewhat, and leaned against me. "You did good with his hand."

"I did." I agreed too, leaning back, sighing. I shut my eyes. "Bit of a mess though."

"Could have been worse." Reece shrugged this time.

I slid back, curling up on my side, Reece sliding over to join me. He flopped onto his back near me, finding my hand, and we lay there as we watched the sky. Cuddle time with the pack. With Reece, it seemed to happen a lot more, but this was because we were more or less in the same position in the pack. The young ones, the annoying ones, the ones that kept trying to overstep orders and take over things. Like Matt did, except that they struggled to ground us.

"You okay?" He asked, softly, and I nodded.

"Seen Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?" I asked, Reece nodded. "Clayton got a big metal dildo for him."

No need to clarify who 'him' was. Reece got it straight away. "Want some lube?"

"You have some?" I would have been surprised. I wasn't sure how often he got laid, if at all.

"Bought some. Just in case, you know, Daniella... never mind. It's useless now." His voice got a little stiffer, a little more controlled, but he squeezed my hand as he tried to shake whatever it was she stirred up free.

"Where is she?" I had the feeling he knew, even now, even as he was here. With us.

"Working. Elena let her keep working. She's watching New York while Antonio is distracted." Even now, even while he was upset, he _did_ know where she was. "Think she'll come back?"

"To you or here?"

Reece didn't answer and I sighed, sliding closer, so my forehead touched his arm. He just breathed slowly, his heart fast, hand letting go of mine so he could drape it across my back instead.

I knew what her problem was with him now. I knew it, I felt her words in the back of my mouth, but I couldn't tell him. So I lay there, trying to comfort him by being here instead, as we waited for ...whatever was going to happen next. Dinner, torture, or a nappy, it was a pretty even toss up between the three possibilities.

Nick joined us after a while, crawling onto the bed, attempting to get between us. When Reece refused to budge, he growled, and flopped over me instead. Right over me. It wasn't exactly comfortable.

"Stop it." I prodded his stomach, as he grinned back at me, but he only moved when I smiled.

Nick shifted behind me, curling up around my back, Reece ignoring him. "Toddlers are getting fed by Jeremy and Paige. Babies are good. We're giving you a day off."

"I don't want a day off." I muttered. But I did, in a way, if only because I knew how I'd start to feel if I spent five seconds around my babies. Murderous. Angry. Blood thirsty. "Dominic's doing okay?"

"He's a bit quiet." Nick admitted against my shoulder. "He's okay."

"I was just about ready to rip heads off when I saw his face." Reece muttered.

"Me too." I agreed, and Nick sighed, tightening his arms around me, his thighs under mine as his legs curling into my back tighter.

"Is Clayton letting you go downstairs?"

I nodded and Nick sighed, growing tense now, but he didn't argue with it, just lay there. I added, "Just for a little while," which had no effect on his tenseness.

"He's told me to be there." Reece added. Also no effect.

"When?"

I shook my head, admitting, "I don't know," and Nick grumbled something under his breath I chose to not listen to. Instead I watched the first splatter of rain hit the window and the curtain, the wind blowing it in just slightly, not bothered at all that it was coming in.

Nick got up finally, but ignored the window, he tried to push Reece off the bed, and Reece held on. "Come on, let me have some alone time."

"Another seven minute romp?" Reece grinned at him, a big grin, and I rolled my eyes as Nick tipped him off the bed with a loud thump. His head poked up, scowling, rubbing his head. "Ow. That was violent. I saved your woman, you know."

"Pfft." I muttered. "I was about to save myself."

"Yeah, sure." He ducked as Nick kicked at him, climbing back onto the bed, jumping over me. "I could watch. Give you some tips."

Nick lifted me up off the bed, careful, handed me my crutches, and then advanced on the bed. I watched as he tried to trap Reece in the sheets, the two of them playing around, and rolled my eyes. While he was distracted I left. I tried to, anyway, the two of them changing their mind and dragging me back onto the bed. Funny, how one second the two of them were 'competing', then the next they were the best team.

"We could tie her up so she rests?" Reece suggested.

"You could let her go and let me get her tired." Nick suggested, narrowing his eyes as Reece refused to let me go, giving him a light push.

"Nope." Reece held on tighter, nuzzling against my side, giving Nick a look. "We've got to plan tonight. I was thinking good Aussie, bad Aussie. Leather. Heels. Whips. Glasses."

"We've got to fuck our brains out." Nick snapped, and Reece laughed as I flushed, glaring at Nick. It wasn't that I didn't like swearing, I did it enough, but ...that was pretty damn crude of him. More than usual.

"Nick, relax." I stroked his face. "Reece is teasing."

"I never said she'd be the bad one with the whip, did I?" He grinned as I laughed. That was the final straw for Nick though.

"Reece needs to get the hell out of our bed, our bedroom, and go get laid." Nick said, finally, frustrated, as Reece still refused to get out of the bed, tightening his grip on me.

I felt it, Reece freeze, saw the hurt flash in his eyes. Before I could tell Nick off, Reece tightened his grip, snapping, "Yeah?"

"You might be less clingy with my mate." Nick crossed his arms.

"Well, maybe you better give me an idea as to who to lay." Reece snapped. "My mate is busy with other men, remember?"

"Maybe I _better. _Maybe I better share Liz with you. Then you can, how you Australians put it?, bugger off so she can sleep."

I saw it. Just for a second, just for a fraction of a second, this flash of a serious consideration of what he'd had just said. Nick actually was thinking that was a good idea.

And it suddenly slapped me over the head with the burning curiosity and question, what exactly had Nick done during his years of womanising? Sleep with women, that was obvious, and maybe several at once. What about guys? Had he done a three-way before with a guy there? Truthfully, this wouldn't bother me so much, but what bothered me was this giant elephant in the room that I had no clue what Nick's sexual experiences had been before me, except that there'd been a lot of them.

Whatever he'd done... I saw that look and I couldn't unsee it now. Holy crap. This was not a side of Nick I had expected to see today. Or ever, to tell the truth, he'd been so obsessively possessive when it came to other things. Other men. Even dancing with them.

I gawked at him, as he grinned sheepishly, and kicked Reece. Tried to hide it.

"Reece, I'll come down later and talk to you." I glanced at Reece, who looked a bit stunned, and he nodded, getting up and heading downstairs. Then I turned on Nick. "What was that? That face?"

"What face?" He blinked at me innocently.

I went to push him down, pinning him onto the bed, sliding a leg over him and moving up so I was sitting on his stomach. It was to keep him there, but it also seemed to bring back that slightly more hungry grin as he ran a hand up my thighs.

"The one you got when you told him you should share me." I leaned down to nip Nick's neck.

"Oh, _that_ one." He reached up to undo the jeans, ignoring my hands as I pushed them away, so that he could run a finger down my lower stomach. Down the scar. "He was getting annoying. The guy needs to get laid and get over Daniella."

"So you were going to _lend_ me?"

Nick shook his head, the smile fading somewhat, as he saw the disbelief in my eyes. Maybe he knew how dangerous ground he was treading right now. "Well, not exactly. You're not a watch I can lend. But ... pack sharing. Always seemed a little attractive. I used to think about Elena like that."

I couldn't believe it. Out of my entire expectations of Nick, this wasn't it. "_What_!"

"I may have hoped, you know, that maybe ...Clayton and Elena would let me in. Sometimes." He grinned sheepishly as I hit him, though not hard, grabbing my head and pulling me in for a harder kiss. "No pun intended."

"_Let you in_?" I said the words slowly, shaking my head as I pulled my head back up after the kiss, Nick's hands still tangled in my hair. "Into the cuddles or..."

"Hey, she smells incredible, looks incredible, it was a fun thought." He was pretty casual about admitting he wanted Clayton to let him get it on with Elena. "You have no idea how much it teased my instincts, to see her running around, tail barely covering her, that damn smell in my nostrils and then after to wander around with her buck naked, the left over urge to ..." He laughed, again, softer, shaking his head. "I kept in control. Now I get to pounce _you_."

"Clay know this?"

Nick shook his head, a hand sliding up my stomach.

I hit him, trying to get up, and he held me there.

"Come on, it's not that bad." Nick protested, sitting up, his legs curling around behind my lower back so that he had me pinned. "It's not that unusual any more."

Maybe not for humans. I didn't know. "Nick, how many men have I willingly slept with?"

"The entire pack?"

"Had sex with." I nipped him hard, which just sort of turned him on a little more. I wasn't sure if I was trying to turn him on or be annoyed. I was a little confused by what I'd just found out he liked.

"Me. Which is why I'd never make you do anything." His voice lowered, softer, serious now. Nick wrapped his arms around me, kissing my shoulder. "I just remembered what it was like."

"So you have done it."

"A few times. Yeah." He admitted. "I spent a while playing in a swinger's club for the hell of it. Nothing with a guy alone but a few times, with a willing woman, I tried it. I left when they started to get too attached to me."

"What else did you do?" The question was out before I could stop it. Nick kept coming up with new sides to him, things I didn't yet know, and I was endlessly hungry to know everything. Even the things that made me uncomfortable or that took some getting used to.

He told me. Nick did not forget a thing. It was pretty incredible, actually, that he was this experienced and settled down now with me. Me! The more he told me about what he'd done, who he'd done, I suddenly didn't feel quite so special. Wondered what it was exactly that he saw in me after all that. Or how he might have laughed when I was so bad with trying to do things to him, like the blow job, when he had so many who were experts. My face was red, face shocked, performance anxiety at an all time high.

"Bet those girls would do that with Reece and you." I muttered.

Nick shifted back suddenly, concern in his face, as he saw the shock there. Maybe worse than before. "Hey, it's not that bad."

"It's a shock... I knew you were a man whore but..." He nipped me at the word, not looking offended at all, and I added, "I guess I never thought about how you got your reputation." I admitted. I wasn't sure if I was glad I knew now or not. "I can't believe you got me after so many..."

"I can't believe I got you either." He didn't sound at all upset, a small smile returning, eyes trailing down my body with obvious approval. "You can do whatever you like with me. You don't need to prove anything against anyone else."

"You'd let me sleep with Reece?"

Nick frowned slightly then. "_No_. I'd let him join _us_. He isn't allowed near you without me there." There it was, what I needed to see, that possessive 'mate, and no one gets near her' expression, and I relaxed when I saw it, flopping against him. I loved Reece like no one else here, maybe because we were from the same place, but sleep with him?

I didn't know.

"What's it like?"

"For a woman? Don't know. I've never been a woman. For a guy, it's a bit strange. Watching another guy … takes getting used to." Nick admitted, Nick's hands slowly tugging my buttons out, palms brushing against the bare stomach. "It wasn't bad. Easier to get carried away though, when there's another guy there, easier to try and out perform him. Apparently it's fun."

I had this sudden mental image of Reece and Nick. Either side of me. Trying to outperform each other. They were bad enough with clothes on. Sex with the two of them? It'd be like a pissing contest with me stuck in the middle of it all. The image horrified me, I had to admit, any laughter vanished under waves of 'What the hell!". Not just about the image, but about Nick's ...fun. This was going to take some time to get used to. Knowing about his reputation and hearing about it in sordid detail two separate things. "I don't think I can process this right now."

He laughed, kissed me, and threw the shirt to one side. "I didn't mean to shock you. Keep forgetting how innocent you are."

"Shut up." I bit him, shoving him back, tugging the bra off myself. "Not innocent."

"You are." Nick gazed up at me, cupping a breast, his hand drifting down my side slowly. He smiled somewhat, the hunger fading as the affection returned, and the wonder. "Still. I fucking love it.

As stunned as I was, I let him 'corrupt' it a little more, for as long as we could get away with being alone upstairs. This time we got a full half hour of 'corrupting' before we had to go back down, and by then we were falling asleep all over each other, having put so much pent up energy, stress and love into it, like we'd put everything we'd built up over the past day into it...

I knocked my foot a few times, much to Nick's horror, but it gave him another chance to be inventive. Never something he passed up.

"How do ...two guys?" I asked, words slipping out before I could think them through, breathing hard as he flopped against my back, and he laughed, kissing my sweaty skim.

"Still thinking about that?"

"You got me curious now. Shut up." I wished I hadn't asked. Of course I could guess. "I think I can picture it."

Nick laughed again, sliding onto his side beside me, raising an eyebrow. "Picture it, huh?"

"I mean, I can guess." I did see it, vivid in my head, but not Reece. Two of Nick? _Fucking hell._ One of him was tough enough work but... two? I got this sudden image of Nick, two of Nick, his sexy grin, incredible body, two pairs of hands, and suddenly that scene from Watchman took on a _whole new meaning_. Woah. "Never mind."

He opened his mouth to say something, probably more teasing, only to be cut off by a voice yelling down the hallway.

"MAMA." Lily. Looking for us, apparently, having escaped the clutches of her babysitters and having decided she'd had enough waiting for Mama.

"I'll show you videos." Nick winked, jumped up, and helped me dress. We let Lily in when we were half dressed, as she'd discovered us by now, and she watched with the annoyed expression she'd mastered so well.

"Where were you?" She asked, so accusing, her tiny voice so suddenly mature. "Where?"

"Mama hurt her foot, remember?" Nick pointed at my bandaged foot. "She was resting."

She had forgotten, it seemed, because she knelt beside it and inspected it very carefully. "Oh." When Lily had inspected it long enough, roughly three seconds, she turned to us. "When can we go downstairs?"

"Now." I tugged a tank top on, finding the shirt was missing a button, and grabbed the crutches. "Let's go downstairs."

Lily led the way, Nick close behind, and I followed on my three legged path behind them. I wondered if Nick would be as casual and teasing about this if one of his daughters ended up being interested in threesomes. I actually wasn't sure. Clayton, hell no, a guy would struggle just to hold Kate's hand, but Nick? He'd either be very supportive of them as teenagers, or he'd suddenly panic, remember his history, and throw chastity belts around.

Reece pulled me aside when I got downstairs, as Nick and Lily went on, voice lowered. He frowned. "Sorry. I got annoyed when Nick told me to get laid so I ...teased him back. I didn't mean to get you upset."

"I know. It's okay." I smiled weakly. "I just ... don't think about that kind of thing. I know guys apparently drool over two girls, I just didn't think about it at all."

"Hey, I didn't. Much." He grinned weakly, wrapping an arm around me.

"I don't think he meant to hurt you." I couldn't believe I was defending Nick. But then, there were a lot of things that I was struggling to come to terms with right now.

"I know." Reece lowered his voice then, glancing around. "Was he serious?"

I couldn't answer that. I couldn't tell him that Nick was actually half serious about his offer. I didn't want to lie either. I shrugged, not sure what to say, and Reece blinked at me.

There was an awkward silence, as he tried to get what 'shrug' meant, and then he blinked again, slowly. "Anne?"

"Come on. Lily will hunt me down again."

"That wasn't a no."

I didn't answer. Just headed into the living room ahead of Reece and flopped down with the safe toddlers. Crazy werewolves. Crazy society! Since when was it normal for girls to have multiple partners? I had no effing clue. It was confusing me and a bit overwhelming. I had dinner to think about, torture, preschool, twins getting into a sleeping routine, and how to get the cure freely offered to everyone, particularly my pack. I didn't want to think about Nick's sexual history for the rest of the day, as my brain threatened to do, or Reece needing to get laid.

Luckily, distractions came in the _right_ kind, as a small parade of cars with dark tinted glass and a van rumbled right up to the house. Elena came down the stairs then, arm in a sling, looking a little pale but better than before. She smiled somewhat as our eyes met. No anger there, nothing, she wasn't angry about how it went badly.

Benicio Cortez got out of one of the cars, the usual picture of professional, right down to the perfect suit, sharp eyes, the kind of person who would instantly get awe without needing to work for it.

"Clayton?" Jeremy touched her arm as he came out of the living room, a plate full of tiny bowls on a tray, taking them into the kitchen. "Want me to warn him?"

"He'll know. Clayton will come up when he decides." She said softly to Jeremy, who nodded, and went across to the basement door. I heard him turn the key. Clayton could unlock it from the other side easily but for now, it was off limits to everyone. Especially our guests.

This was not something Cortez liked that much, I noticed, as friendly as he was, he was firm about wanting to get the job done. He waited impatiently in the kitchen, then he, Lucas, Elena and Jeremy headed into the study and shut the door behind them. In other words- it was discussion time.

It also left us alone again. I went back into the living room to see Reece and Nick talking, low voices, too low for me to hear over the sound of 'Big red car' or Lily and Susie's happy voices. They glanced at me, Nick grinned this smile that warned me he was up to something, but there was no time to attempt my first real 'lip reading' attempt. Dominic wandered up and asked to be picked up. I reminded him I couldn't walk- not without crutches- but this didn't stop him. For the rest of the afternoon Dominic followed me around like a shadow. He was quiet, which wasn't that unusual for him, but it bothered me now somehow. He didn't care about the TV much and didn't want to know the big bodyguard in the kitchen, not even when I suggested they shake hands, nothing. He just wanted to stay with Mama.

It was while the meeting was going on, and we were just about to take the triplets up to get ready for bed, that Clayton finally snuck out of the basement when the body guard went to the toilet. He gestured to me and Reece, who was sneaking a pre-dinner snack, and we glanced at each other.

"Hurry up before they notice." He hissed. "Bring towels."

We hurried, towels in hand, and headed down as Clayton locked the door behind us.


	20. Captive

I was suddenly glad I hadn't eaten before coming down. Only a few got to see Clayton's handiwork and there was a reason for that. If people did, they might and did assume he was sadistic, cruel, a bastard of a man. And he could be, if a mutt threatened his pack, he could be all those things and was more than happy to make sure the world knew it.

It made me suddenly glad that I was pack now.

The cell had never been so full before. Demetruis was there, blindfolded, his skin shiny with sweat. He probably hadn't seen a thing but his ears and nose, however much he tried to ignore the fact he was a mutt, would not have hidden this from him when it was so close. It was apart of the intimidation, I guessed, let him hear and smell what he might be in for. The less Clayton had to actually do with a knife, the better. Easier. He only acted the sadistic cruel bastard, I had this feeling that he loathed drawing out kills, tormenting prey, because this was not something a wolf did. This was something a human did. Clayton always preferred the wolf's approach to life and I couldn't disagree.

The man I'd savaged in the bedroom was more or less untouched, aside from the wounds I'd inflicted, and unconscious. Drugged, from the smell of him, probably not having heard or seen a thing. The woman and the other man were not drugged and were semi-concious for a whole other reason. They stank, stank of blood, sweat, urine, the man had shitted himself at some point, but I suspected Clayton got what he wanted.

"Help me clean them up." He took a towel and I did. It looked worse than it really was, as blood usually did, his technique more about fear than causing a ton of damage. Reece was told to clean up the cell a bit.

"Get answers?"

He didn't need to answer. He just nodded, a quick jerk of the head, as I tried to get shit off them with a hose connected to a tap down here. It was crude, to hose them down like this over the tiny drain, but it was the best idea we had. I leaned on the crutches as I did it, Clayton more or less helping, his disgust of them evident. Mutt or witch or demon or human, nothing had proven itself to be worth much to him.

"You gonna be okay with those?" Clayton's eyes went to the crutches and I nodded.

"No problem."

"Good. Go let them know they're ready for delivery." He nudged at me and took the hose, turning it off, leaving them soaking wet.

I went upstairs and knocked on the door. When the other bodyguard came to answer, the same one as that'd stayed near us in the apartment, Tony or something, I repeated the message and he nodded, shutting the door again.

Clayton hadn't said 'stay upstairs' so I went back down and let him know the message was delivered.

About five minutes later they came for them, as we leaned against the wall, but Clayton stood between them and Demetruis, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, making it clear that he was not going anywhere. Not yet. We watched them cart the soaking wet pair upstairs, then the injured man who'd apparently helped us, Reece leaning against the wall, Clayton staying near Demetruis, and I on the crutches. 

There were more arguments upstairs, soft ones, Elena and Benicio Cortez discussing something, but we waited patiently. Clayton refused to budge. I had to admit, I was on his side with this, we'd been waiting for our turn for a long fucking time.

Finally they left us alone, taking the other captives with them, and we were left with the prized one. Elena called down the stairs, "You only get him for one day. He has to be alive at the end," and then shut the door and left us to it.

"Go get the tool. And some alcohol." Clayton's eyes met mine and Reece and we nodded, heading upstairs, slipping something out of the drawer as the rest of the house were distracted by Benicio Cortez's little procession vanishing down the driveway again. I headed back down with it in one hand, Reece with a glass of something, him heading ahead of me down the stairs so that if I slipped with crutches... I had to assume that why he rushed ahead, anyway.

Demetruis was only allowed to see when we got back but Clayton had the tool hidden now. He blinked, blinded by the sudden light, trying to look defiant even now. I swore his hair was getting lighter by the hour, as if it was turning white, his face looking ten years older than whatever he was. He narrowed his eyes as the first thing he saw was me, leaning on crutches, fumbling with the box of pills Clayton had given me.

"You." He hissed. I shrugged at him.

"Just half a pill. We want him awake." Clayton instructed me softly, I nodded, and he moved up to the older man who refused to take his eyes off me till Clayton was between him and myself. "You wanting to make this easy for us?"

He spat at Clayton, or tried to, but he was so dehydrated that ...it failed and dribbled down his chin more than anything. I made a face at the sight and Clayton shook his head.

"Give the man his drink." He stepped back and I moved forward. Whisky or something. I didn't know. The pill was more or less dissolved inside it now and Demetruis glanced at it suspiciously.

"Drink it and relax." I muttered. His eyes met mine, as he drank it, the burning alcohol making him splutter a bit.

"I can't tell you anything worthwhile. Cortez tried, remember?" Demetruis's voice was rough, raspy, and he struggled against the ropes.

"Out of the cell for a few minutes." Clayton ordered and I backed off with the glass, Reece helping me get across the slippery surface with the crutches, as he approached the man. A foot hit where the bullet had and I heard a low grunt of pain behind me.

He barely needed to touch the man to bring the horrible stench of fear back into the basement.

"You were told to keep me alive." Demetruis hissed, as blood started to trickle back down his pants, down the path it'd originally taken. His eyes were half open, shoulders tense, vision foggy with the pain in his leg.

"That's not hard. You'll wish you were dead in a day." Clayton was so cold now, so fucking sadistic looking, the malevolence on his face giving _me_ the chills. Reece's arm brushed against mine as a slight shudder went down my back. "You want to have a talk with Anne now, or should I bring her back in a few hours?"

"Fuck you.." He hissed.

"Anne, come back in two hours." Clayton ordered us, his eyes not leaving Demetruis.

I headed upstairs obediently, checking the time as I came out, knowing I'd be expected more or less on time. Reece stayed downstairs. While I usually did 'assist', from time to time, there were things I knew he didn't want anyone to see him do. The only reason Reece was down there was because he was expected to learn.

Nick joined me in the kitchen, not speaking, but he slid his hand into mine as I sat there and tried to not stare at the clock. I leaned against his side, stressed out, not even sure what it was I was stressed _about_. I heard it, from time to time, the reactions downstairs. Nick didn't, not without his hearing, but he saw me flinch and tightened his grip on my hand.

The two hours dragged by slowly. I ate, I paced, Nick stayed close until he had to go help triplets go to bed. They were refusing to calm down without one of us. So he vanished again and I tried to make the last half hour go by, by ...I didn't know, going to the bathroom, having a drink, pacing.

Finally, when two hours were up, I went back downstairs.

Demetruis looked fucked. It was the only word for it. Like he'd been here for a week. Clayton didn't meet my eyes as I came down, just nudged him so his focus came back to me, his eyes clouded again.

"You want to answer her now?"

Demetruis scowled, shook his head, and I was sent back out for another two hours. This time I was ordered to bring water after the two hours was up- Clayton needed to keep him somewhat hydrated.

Another two hours of pacing, Nick not coming back as I heard him struggling to calm the triplets down, Matt sneaking down and finding me there. I didn't dob him in- I just gave him food, his second dinner for the night, gave him a fork, and he grinned as he hurried back upstairs. He was hungry and I didn't blame him. Apparently dinner was a good idea. I'd have to try it later.

I heard people gathering in the living room when I went down again, the TV on, some kind of activity around it. Not normal- we weren't really that interested in the news- and Reece was glancing at his phone when I came down.

"Clay, something's going on." Reece ignored Clayton's growl, staring at his phone, prodding at the screen.

"Something directly affecting Stonehaven?"

"Not for a while, no." Reece admitted.

"Then turn it off before I break it." A low growl, his eyes going up as if he was going 'Bloody kids' or some such thought, and he turned back onto Demetruis. "Ready to talk now?"

"You're all barbarians." Demetruis hissed, eyes shut, sweat running down his face and shoulders, I couldn't look at the bloody bits or the contorted fingers. Ow. Ow. Ow... "Why not just make the hypnotherapist bitch force me?"

"There's no fun in that." Clayton handed me the long metal pole thing, and took the glass of water. "Drink."

While he gulped the water down, I gazed at the pole, aware that the drug was probably working in him now. So he wasn't feeling it all, which was a relief. I was shocked it was a relief. I didn't know why, I was struggling to hold onto the ' Demetruis is an asshole thing', and made myself replay every single second. The rape, however drugged I'd been, and then the disease, and the way he'd forced me to carry children and then taken them away, with as little regard for me as he might a favored dog who could make him profit with puppies. And Elena. What he'd tried to do with Elena, even if it hadn't been physical rape, forcing his 'material' into her like that, that was just messed up. And trying to kill us. Taking her away for a week, a week where no one knew what had happened, not even Elena. She acted like it wasn't important but … if it were me, if I'd have been a captive for a week, I would have been in a state of anxiety every night about it. Looking for clues. Wondering if the nightmares I was having were memories or my brain making things up.

I saw his eyes shut and knew now, knew the drug was more or less taking over, because he slumped, breathing slowing, his mind fading under the effects of the date rape drug.

"It's time." Clayton's eyes met Reece's eyes who nodded.

Demetruis's eyes tried to open, as if he was fighting it, but Reece came over then, his hand brushing across my arm, before he forced the man to bend, yanking his pants down.

The last thing I wanted to see was Demetruis's ass again, after having seen it several times over me, but I pictured Elena, and remembered what he'd been doing while I'd seen it. Remembered the anger, the violation, and suddenly this part? Not so hard. I ignored his scream of pain, struggling, wondering how the hell men could find this sexy. Reece grimaced too, his body close to mine, but when he and Clayton shared a glance, he nodded a fraction and kicked it in. Not just shoved. Kicked it in, blood welling up, then he pulled me backwards and we let Demetruis dangle back down, his face drained of blood, eyes wide and the whites of his eyes showing as he struggled against the restraints holding him there.

"Barbarians." He hissed through gritted teeth, eyes shut, but Clayton ignored this.

"He's all yours." He stepped back for me, as Demetruis struggled, no trace of sleep left now.

"I was just getting you pregnant. Feel helpless yet? Vulnerable? Admit it and we'll take it out." I forced any other emotions, regret, or guilt, or horror, I made them all go away. Now I was dealing with a villain. A pure villain. He was an adult, he had free will, and whatever 'nice' things he tried to do, they didn't excuse what he did to us.

"Fuck you. That thing will make me bleed to death."

"_Talk_."

"It was my mother."

I struck him so hard, the suddenness of it shocked even me, the slap ringing out. I was tired of him making excuses ,making other people pay or take responsibility for his choices. Did I like Demetruis's mother, Rose? She had tried to keep the twins. But then, she was a grandmother, maybe she was afraid she'd never see them again. I put her in the back of my mind. Whatever her problem was, it wasn't fair that he blame _her_ this time. "Stop blaming everyone else."

He grinned, a crooked half-mad grin, teeth red with blood. "Fine, it was my brother."

Another hit, which made him shut his eyes, and he was gone for a little while.

"Ask him what happened to Elena." Clayton said softly, as he stepped closer. I nodded. This was my questioning, I knew Clayton could have asked, but if he wanted me to ask I would.

"And the resistance?"

Clayton nodded a fraction, woke Demetruis up with a kick to the balls, and he struggled, the veins standing out in his agony, every muscle tense. "Get talking."

"Elena was with you for a week." I said softly, grasping his head, making him look at me. "What did you do with her?"

"Eggs. We took her eggs." He snapped. "There. Happy?"

"What else?"

Demetruis leered, just for a moment, but it faded when his eyes went past me to Clayton. Right now, I knew it, I knew that Clayton was struggling to stay 'enforcer' and not slip into 'mate'. I didn't have to look back to guess the kind of look he was giving Demetruis. "This, and that."

We went on like this for a while. Demetruis refused to be detailed, not with Clayton staring at him from just a few feet away, and finally I had to turn around and suggest that they leave and I hypnotise him.

I didn't need to. The second Clayton wasn't there, Demetruis admitted he may have 'had a few goes', but he didn't harm her. She was too precious. He'd just had a taste, his words, like he had with me. Reece inhaled slowly, shutting his eyes, as that last part slipped out. Apparently he hadn't really thought about where the twins had come from. Now he knew.

"You didn't know?" Demetruis, maybe half-mad with his own agony now, leered at Reece. There was no smoothness left, no manipulative charm, just the madness that maybe had always sat underneath. It just took a lot of pain to expose it. "We did it in her husband's garden. Made babies there."

"You did it," I replied, lowly, making him look me in the eyes. ", to an unconscious woman. _We_ did nothing. Therefore _we_ haven't had twins. _I've_ had twins. Fathering children requires more than what you did."

"You agreed to help." He growled softly, angry now. "_Agreed_."

"Then I turned out to already be pregnant, didn't I? Our agreement fell through." I was realising this as he said it, that whatever I'd agreed, IVF or something, it hadn't worked. I didn't have to fill his agreement. "You're not seeing them again."

"My mother won't allow it. She's it, you know, she's the one giving orders. Second I get out of here, I'm going to take them."

He was back to blaming someone else, I noticed, but the threat of taking the twins bothered me. It wasn't me that hit him now. It was Reece, his fist striking Demetruis' face, his breathing faster as he stared at the man with more loathing than I'd seen in any face in my life, including Clayton. The nose broke under it.

He flinched as I touched his hand, drawing him away a few feet, crossing his arms. "There's a few problems with your plan, asshole."

"What contact have you had with the resistance?"

I didn't expect the reaction I got. Laughter. So much laughter, hysterical, blood spraying from his nose. He laughed, almost mad, and I wondered if we had shattered something in his head. If we had driven him mad. For a second I saw his son in him, the ex-alpha, saw the sadistic cruelty in the madness.

"They are the future. I was going to save you." He finally spoke, through laughter, his body shaking. Maybe he was in shock from what we'd done to him. "Now I'm going to let them kill you all. Laugh. Let them torture you."

"Save me from what?"

"_Humans_. You see what the human world does to us? You think my brothers had accidents?" He coughed, spluttering on his own blood, his eyes shutting as I saw a well of grief and rage there. "They weren't fucking accidents. They found out about us. The government's been killing us off, one by one, big families, powerful families, trying to capture us. They're trying to kill us. Our children are going to help put the humans where they belong." Demetruis' eyes opened, suddenly, as he stared up at me. He was slumped now, like he couldn't find the energy to stand, slumped down on the chains holding him. "Maybe I'll still save you. I like you. You're a warrior. A fighter. _You'll see._ You think _we're_ the bad ones now but you'll see. It wasn't _us_ who captured Elena first, it wasn't us who want to use you as slaves and weapons. When your kids are leading the army, when you're saved from the humans, you'll _see_ who's right..."

I wasn't sure what he meant by 'captured Elena first'. I knew she'd been captured, at some point, but not much more than that. I heard Clayton come back down the stairs from where he'd been standing.

"You-" His eyes locked onto Clayton as he came down. "-your twins. They're going to lead the army. You can keep them as long as you want. But one day, they're leading their army. The prophesy says it." There it was again, that madness, that flood of madness in his face. Demetruis was already loosing it.

"Go." Clayton moved between us, his back to Demetruis, his cold face defrosting somewhat when Demetruis couldn't see it. "This is where I take over. Reece- take her upstairs and come back in three hours."

Reece nodded and led me upstairs, careful.

We ate dinner in silence. Nick came out of the living room, I heard Jeremy in there still with Lucas, and came to sit with us, the three of us quiet, my arms and legs shaking. I had to let go of that horrible frame of mind, that 'hurt him' mindset, get back into my usual one. The one where I wasn't even able to step on a spider.

"You okay?" Reece asked softly and I nodded, trying to smile. "Sorry. I didn't know how the twins were made. Shouldn't have hit him."

"He spoke?" Nick said, finally, and when we both nodded jerky nods, I saw a little relief there. "About fucking time. You've got my permission to hit him anytime, Reece."

"Yeah, but not Clayton's permission. He's gonna be pissed." He laughed softly, trying to relax, and when he offered us that whisky, no one argued. Just enough to calm down a little. "Showers might help. What's this about an epidemic, Nick?"

I remembered, suddenly, that Reece had been looking at something on his phone. Nick glanced up.

"Something about that disease in dogs suddenly tripling in rate. Quadrupling. Doubling. Depends on what channel you're on. There's official government advice now. It's not important to us, not really, but they're not sure why suddenly so many dogs are getting sick."

"I thought it was in dogs ages ago." Reece muttered. "What's the panic?"

"Mostly shelter dogs and wild dogs.. It's spreading through house pets now. We'll watch the news when you two have showered." Nick's eyes were on my shaking arm. I saw Reece nod again out of the side of my vision.

"Come on, Aussie, I'll help you get into a warm shower. Is she meant to go back tonight?"

"If she is, I'll tell Clay she needs a rest." Reece replied, standing also.

"I'm fine. You two don't need to protect me all the time." I muttered, grabbed the crutches, and lifted myself up. "I'm just tired."

While in the shower though, Nick nearby so I could lean against him, I stood there in the hot water as it pounded on my skin and realised I wasn't sure why I was so upset. I wasn't sure what I was, to be honest, it wasn't like Demetruis had said anything particularly upsetting. Except for claiming 'we' had sex, when it was rape, and what he'd admitted he'd done with Elena, that upset me more than I wanted to admit. I wasn't sure why. Deep down I knew that this was a possibility, that she had been raped, I always knew that. To hear it straight form her though...

"What he say?"

I told Nick, as he helped me dress in the big tshirt I wore for bed, so big that the neckline fell over one shoulder. He didn't say a word till I was done and hugged me closer, arms around me, breathing in and out slowly against my bare neck.

"Good job." He said, finally, softly. "You did it. He admitted he knows them."

"He raped Elena. I think." I still wasn't sure if that was what he meant exactly by 'had a go'. Probably.

"Yeah, and he's now in the basement with Clay." He reminded me. "Let it go. Clayton will handle it."

Of course he would. I knew that. I sighed, shut my eyes, and let Nick hold me for a while. I was too tense to go to sleep through. No matter how much he tried to stroke my arms or back, I stood there stiff like a board, unable to relax.

"Come downstairs. We'll watch the news, it'll bore you to sleep, and we'll deal with tomorrow when it's light." Nick offered, stepping back, and I nodded.

"Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me." I muttered as we went back downstairs.

When we came down from the showers there was no one around. Everyone had gotten bored of the news, apparently, and had gone to bed. Reece came down a few minutes after we did, hair damp, and Reece headed straight for the fridge.

I wasn't tired or hungry though. Nick seemed to see this, as yawny as he was, and he flopped onto the couch and turned it back on low for us to see the news for ourselves. It'd gone from 'that disease that spread through the shelters and the dogs on the streets' to 'The EPIDEMIC'. I suspected it'd been an epidemic amongst the dogs and wolves for a while- it'd just taken for some powerful pooches to get sick and suddenly they stopped pretending it wasn't a problem.

"So it's spread far in the dogs?" I didn't tease them though. Dogs, cats, huge part of people's lives. They were incredible with people who were sick or had mental illness. When Susie's husband had been in hospital, there'd been therapy dogs that would come in to the chemo area and cheer them up, so I knew that it was a problem. Not to mention sniffer dogs at airports would start to be in short supply, farms would struggle...

Nick shrugged and glanced behind me to Reece, who came in with some kind of chocolate, standing near me as he watched the TV.

"Is it just America?"

"It's hard to tell." I muttered. That was one thing I had to fault. American news- it was all about America. All the time. Day and night. There'd be some amusing youtube videos that were sometimes not American, if you were lucky, but in general.

It wasn't a small thing though. I saw this as I stood there, too strung out by downstairs to relax, because for all the hysteria of the news it seemed it was actually spreading a bit faster and a lot less controlled now. Lots of dogs were getting it. Mostly pure bred dogs, apparently, which meant a lot of cancelled dog shows. The mutts had better statistics and survival rates. Vets were struggling with the amounts and some were refusing to take the dogs if they showed signs of the disease in an attempt to avoid spreading it to the dogs that weren't sick. It was kind of hard to remember that this disease in the pet dog world and in the wolf world, it was the same one as the one we'd all had. Some expert came on and claimed that wolves who survived it, four out of five, were stronger and breeding faster. Claimed it'd changed them. They got thirty seconds at two in the morning- probably the only time they were offered in the whole day. Who wanted to hear about stronger wolves that could breed faster?

Arms slid around my waist, slowly, sudden, and I suddenly realised that Nick's attention wasn't on the TV. He sat on the couch, looking amused, as Reece came up from behind. That 'I'm up to something' look was back on his face again.

It wasn't him pressing against my back though. I glanced back, Reece grinning at me, and it was while my attention was shifted that Nick got up and moved to wrap his arms around me from the front.

"You're supposed to be shirtless." Nick hissed at Reece, who let go with one arm, shrugging his top off, and threw it to one side.

"Why?" I asked, suspicious, as the two of them pinned me between them.

I got it the same second Nick kissed me hard, and Reece's hands slid up the bottom of the long tshirt, up my thighs, resting on my hips. I got it now. They were trying to convince me it was fun. I couldn't protest either- Nick's mouth was refusing to let mine free, Reece's shoulder behind my head- and there was something pretty incredible and overwhelming about being pinned by two warm bodies, the scents of my love and my best friend on either side of me, like …

This was pretty stupid, I tried to tell myself, and way too effing complicated. Much to... I flinched, as Reece's knee slid up between my bare legs, the rough fabric of his jeans teasing the sensitive skin there, Nick's hands cupping my face.

"What are you two up to?" I hissed, when Nick stopped distracting me with kissing, his mouth tracing down my neck.

"Giving you a sample." Reece answered, from behind me, Nick pulling hair over one shoulder so Reece could nip at a bare shoulder. His knee ground against my back, while Nick removed the crutches so I couldn't move, his body pressing harder against mine. "Like?"

"And relaxing her." Nick reminded him, Reece echoing it, his breathing a bit faster.

"Are you _drunk_?" How much had they drunk while I was dazed? I tried to move Nick's head to mine, in my direction, and he grinned and shook his head.

"No." Reece shook his head.

"No." Nick agreed.

"This is too complicated. What if ..." I didn't know what to say, suddenly, as one of Reece's hands tentatively stroked across my lower stomach, very low, Nick's hand cupping a breast through the fabric. Slowly, his attention on me and Nick, I felt Reece's fingers brush against the hem of the panties, and forced a soft moan right back down. Oh my god. I really wanted them to keep it up. I wanted them to do it. The need for it shocked me. This wasn't me. I wasn't a slut. I didn't ...my hips pushed backwards against Reece, Nick moving with me.

"Whatever you're complaining about, Nick's got rules to prevent it from happening." Reece replied, amused, but his breathing was a bit faster now. A lot less controlled. I smelt the arousal from both of them, overwhelmed for a second by the smell of it mingling with their scents, their heat, their bodies rubbing against mine. Nick's eyes met mine, and I saw it, the triumph and the amusement he always got when he was corrupting me a little more when he saw that I was just as turned on as he was. Holy crap. What was I doing! I felt Nick's hand grasp the top, starting to pull it up, felt myself want him to...

"Okay, I'm going to bed. Alone." I muttered, trying to push them back. I'd realised my own body had kicked into gear big time for this. "You two can grope each other while I'm gone." They didn't argue, Reece handed me the crutches back, stepping back. Cold air replaced his warmth and I whined softly, I couldn't stop it, I didn't want them to stop. Instead, I moved away upstairs, face bright red, ignoring the urge to ...drag them both back. Argh.

"Next sample could be any time!" Reece called behind me, soft, and I heard the laughter in his voice. My face went redder. In other words, this wasn't going to be the last attempt.

After that, I lay there, frustrated, turned on, and unable to sleep for a different reason. Nick tried to get into bed and I kicked at him.

"What?" He tried looking innocent and failed. "It didn't turn you on, right? So we can snuggle?"

"I need to go for a run." I muttered. Or did I want to do that? If I wanted sex, then the wolf in me wouldn't understand 'complications'. It'd just suggest we go for it. "Or a walk. Nick, what the hell. You won't even let men _dance_ with me."

"They were grinding you, they were _human_, and I know where Reece lives." Nick stood back, undoing his pants, and watched me as I watched him undress, watched a little too intently, unable to tear my eyes away. He was turned on. Maybe as badly as I was.

I groaned, turned over so I couldn't stare, and felt him crawl across the covers, nuzzling my shoulder, kneeling beside me. "I'm not a slut."

He froze. Then he slid closer, lying down, his body pressing against mine, I felt his gender against my back through the sheets. Nick nibbled the side of my neck. "Liz, this doesn't make you a slut. He's your best friend. Not some random stranger I pulled out of the streets for you. Enjoying this doesn't make you a _slut_. Shesh."

"What if I fall in love with him?" I twisted around, Nick blinking at me. "Sex isn't the same for girls. I read that ...we fall in love with them. During sex. A chemical reaction or something."

Nick laughed, kissing me hard, pulling the sheets off me in one quick motion. "Is that why you fell in love with me? I had sex with you?"

"Well, no." I admitted. He slid over me, pinning me there, and there was no hiding what it'd done to me now. "I loved you before that. What if..."

Nick cut me off, pulling my legs around his waist, ignoring the panties and pushing himself in me with a rough fast thrust, making me inhale sharply as he groaned softly. There was no way of hiding it now. "So you _did_ like it?"

"Shut up." I tugged his head down to mine, kissing him hard, and he didn't argue with this idea. He yanked my legs up higher, grinding against me as our bodies pushed against each other, too turned on to talk after a few seconds, soft growls and moans filling the room as Nick helped me better than any walk or run.

I cried out against his neck in what felt like seconds, body shaking, arms around his neck as he joined me, and we collapsed there in the dark room.

It did relax me. I fell asleep against Nick's chest, as he waited for me to fall asleep.

I woke a few hours later, saw it was just after five, and got up while Nick stayed fast asleep. My body was back to being tense, anxiety again making my heart race, skin sweat, body want to move, the brief 'relaxation' over now. I just wasn't tired. I slipped out, tugging a skirt on, and went downstairs to the kitchen in search of some tea or something.

It sounded like Clayton and Reece weren't in the basement anymore but I wasn't sure and somehow couldn't bring myself to look. He'd never said 'don't come back down' but I felt unable to go near the door.

Elena was at the table. She smiled weakly at me, only the light of the living room lighting the kitchen, sitting there in the dim light. She looked fine, there was no obvious sign to me that she was anything but just awake, but I felt like she was tense. Something deep down said she wasn't fine.

"Clayton has gone to bed." She let me know as my eyes lingered on the door. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"I can get it." I offered and she shook her head.

"I was going to make another one anyway. Sit down." Elena stood up and started the machine as I sat down. "He told me what information you got."

Everything, I suspected, I never saw him as hiding anything from her without reason. Elena's lips tightened, just a moment, but it was so fast that I wondered if I'd imagined it. "I think he's starting to go mad."

"Yes, that's another thing Clayton said." She agreed, leaning against the bench, eyes darting to the clock on the microwave for just a moment. "Do you want milk?"

I nodded and Elena made the coffee as I got up to get us some cookies from the hiding place. When we had everything we sat down, breathing slowly, Elena's shoulders still tense. Elena sighed, glanced at me, and then sat down with the two coffees. She pulled something out of her pocket. A pregnancy test? I got it now. The tenseness, the restlessness, the glances at the clock.

"Clayton know you're testing?" I asked softly.

She shook her head and put it on the table. "I got a positive before. I was double checking." Elena said quietly. "This one says negative."

"They don't really work well early." I remembered having one done, right back on the morning of the wedding, but I'd been a little along by then . "It might be too early."

Elena nodded and slid it back into the box and back into her pocket. "You're probably right. After the confirmation, I wanted to find out, but I may have to wait." She smiled, a weak tense smile, and didn't pull back when I squeezed her hand.

"Whatever happens, remember what you told me." I muttered and she nodded. There it was, that iron stubbornness in her, that will I hoped she'd hold onto if something did happen. "It's not his child. Neither are the twins. We didn't make them together. So they're not his. He dropped them off and I found them."

"Interesting way of seeing it." Elena laughed softly. "There's going to be a fight over it though. Lucas told me the grandmother had threatened legal action."

I tried to shrug it off. We went quiet, staring at the steam rising off the coffee, hearing feet coming down the stairs. Nick stared at me, looking exhausted, his curls all over the place.

"You not tired?" He yawned, stretching, stumbling over to flop between Elena and myself.

"Not really." I admitted. But he looked buggered. I stood up and leaned over to hug Elena, who looked as tense and awake as I felt. "But we'll go to bed."

"So will I." Elena agreed, standing, the cups of coffee more or less abandoned as we went back upstairs.

I crawled back into the bed, careful with my injured foot, and Nick literally just flopped face first. He barely had to scoot up. He grinned at me, kissed me, and fell asleep within a few minutes, pulling me up against his side.

I lay there against his chest, listening to his body, but nothing happened for me. No sleep, no need to sleep, and I couldn't even think. I just lay there, listened to his heart near my head, watching the light in the bedroom slowly change from black, to a slightly lighter grey, then a little lighter again, watched the objects in the room come into view one, by one, by one, till the early morning light was strong enough to see the room.

Leaning up, I gazed down at Nick, his face relaxed in the soft light, curls messed up everywhere, the faintest growth under my thumb as I stroked his face. The man was beautiful, incredible, and I felt almost afraid under the weight of how much I felt for him, how much my life depended on Nick being apart of it. Even if he was away for a few days a week. I didn't need or _want_ anything else. Maybe _that_ was it. Maybe that was why adding Reece to our fun made me anxious. What if it upset Nick? What if he started to think I needed Reece like I needed him, or thought I needed a younger husband, or some other stupid what if? What if ... I groaned softly, flopping my head against his chest, my arm going across him. Maybe it was silly to worry about 'what if'.

I heard feet outside. Nick slid across into the warm gap I'd just left, onto his side, and opened one eye.

"You still don't wanna sleep?" He muttered, then opened the other brown eye, eyes going to the clock beside our bed. Then, his slightly hungry look returned, and that grin cut through the sleep in his eyes,"Want something else?"

"Sorry. I just can't get to sleep." I smiled weakly down at him. "You can sleep."

"Nu uh. Not with you staring at me like that." Nick suddenly flopped me over onto my back. "We co-"

Whatever he'd planned on doing was cut off as I heard the twins wake.

Holy crap.

The twins had slept through the night. I blinked, Nick blinked, and we grinned and slid up fast, Nick going over first.

"Before you complain," He commented ash e glanced at me, yawning a huge yawn, "I did check them. That's why I kept waking up."

"I trust you." I wondered if that had something to do with why I couldn't _sleep_. Waiting for the babies. I didn't know. Once the crutches were under my armpits I went to stand next to him, Reece in the crib looking as sleepy as Nick had seconds ago, and maybe even a little startled to see the light. "They slept through. Incredible."

"I'll put the blanket on the bed and you change them while I get meals. Okay?" I nodded, Nick kissed me, and I went to sit on the bed as he lowered each of the babies onto their changing blanket, threw me what I needed, and vanished out the door.

"Hi peanut, rosy." I greeted them, as I tried to change them both in a hurry, the two of them calming down now that we were paying attention. Their eyes fixed on me and when the smelly things were off, when I was cleaning them, I finally saw their first smiles of the day. "You slept in. How's it feel?"

Now that they were changed, apparently it felt great, because they were both beaming at me. I saw it, the warning wriggle from Reece, and snatched the towel before his morning pee got both me and the bed. Something else no one told me about, but I'd learnt from Dominic- boys didn't need to put effort into sending pee everywhere. It just went everywhere without a quick reflex and a towel.

"Good catch." Nick commented, returning with the bottles, and crawled across to the other side.

Once they were dressed in their matching outfits- Nick's idea, of course- we let them back into their crib and Nick vanished with the dirty things. I watched them amuse themselves, Rose with her foot in her mouth, and Reece watching her as if she was performing some incredible acrobatical stunt, looking at me every few seconds as if to say 'Well, look at that!'. When she tried to put her other foot in her mouth, as it waved around, he laughed. Laughed for the first time. I stared at him, Reece blinked, looking startled by the noise coming out from him, and burst into tears all over again.

"Peanut..." I laughed, lifting him up, Rose letting go of her feet as she stared up at her twin. "It's a laugh. It's not a bad thing." Joy filled me at the sound. Not just their first all night sleep but Reece's first laugh. I suddenly wanted to get a book. A facebook page for them! I wanted to write this down and _document it_. Why hadn't we got them abook? We had one for each of the triplets. I _had_ to get them 'first year baby books'.

"What is it?" Nick jogged back.

"Reece laughed and scared himself."

Nick shook his head, coming over to take him, jiggling him up and down. "You gotta get used to that. I want to make it happen more." He commented lightly to the baby, who calmed down easily with the man he adored, thumb in mouth. "Sure it was a laugh?"

"It was a laugh." I smiled somewhat and reached down to pick up Rose before she started to fuss, balancing against the crib. She rested against my neck, trying to grab hair and pull that into her mouth now.

Nick made a face at Reece, being silly, and again there it was, that little laugh and that startle look on Reece's face as if he had no clue where on earth that sound had come from. He was about to burst into tears when Nick laughed. Then he froze, as if he was putting this together, like he was putting the sounds together. It took a little while before the laugh came back, matching Nick, Reece copying him.

"Silly baby." Nick made another face at him, got the same silly laugh and shock, but no tears now. "Just like your mum. Scared of everything new."

I kicked for Nick, who easily stepped back, blowing me a kiss. The smile faded though. "Clayton says you're going in at six, so he said you should eat. Then bring him some breakfast downstairs and the first aid kit."

Going in? To the basement, in other words, and Nick's smile faded when eh saw me sigh and lower Rose back.

"You can say no, you don't have to do agree. It isn't an order yet." He moved closer to snuggle up against me.

"I know." I smiled, trying to make Nick feel better now, but it wasn't working. He nipped my lip, kissed me, and lowered Reece back down into the crib beside his sister.

"What's she doing to her foot?" Nick asked, I turned around, and saw she'd managed to get her foot back in her mouth.

"Eating it. I better get dressed and eat." I sighed, Nick helped me with the task while my foot refused to be reliable weight bearing material, the concern back in his face. "Nick, can you write it down? Their first sleep in and Peanut's first laugh."

"We need books for them, don't we? I'll write it down." Nick promised, following me downstairs, and as usual, hurried to go before me on the staircase.

Breakfast was a hurried thing, Reece there too, looking as groggy and sleepy as I probably should have felt. We headed back downstairs, Reece balancing the food, me with the first aid kit under one hand.

I wished I could say it was fun, that morning, or that it was exhausting. It was neither. Clayton had me fix his fingers, snapping bone into the right position and splintering it, Reece helping. Demetruis was sedated, apparently, Clayton wasn't confidant about how he'd have been overnight or if he'd harm himself.

"How much did he talk?" I asked, finally when we'd cleaned up various wounds, removed the pipe, and re-dressed him.

"He's not some important figure." Clayton scowled, arms crossed, leaning against the bars. "They contacted him when they found out about his sons getting arrested, and that they were hybrids. He's funded them a lot, promised them your twins when they're older as long as he's involved, but they've not contacted him much. Kept rambling about his mother."

"She's apparently running the family." I said softly. "But she's harmless."

"Yeah, I saw her." Clayton wasn't as convinced about this as I was. "Don't care how old she is, old doesn't mean harmless."

I wasn't sure about that. Old usually meant stubborn, sure, but it didn't mean she was bad. I knew she'd tried to keep my twins but that may have had more to do with the fact that she'd lost her grandsons, all her sons except this one, and now even he was in trouble. Any woman would cling to her grand kids. I would have done _exactly_ what she did. I hoped I'd never be in that position, hoped I'd never see my own kids go bad like these ones had. A mother's love didn't fade just because her kids were assholes, sadly. It made mothers do a lot of strange things.

But I didn't argue with him, just waited as he re-questioned Demetruis with the same questions, Demetruis now sedated. Same answers. Truth was, as big as he was with us, he barely knew a thing. He had genuinely wanted to have some more children, not just because he wanted heirs, but because he had an agreement going with the resistance people to allow them to be apart of the army. He believed in them, had as much faith in this resistance as any fanatically devoted follower could have, and actually believed that the government had played a part in the accidents that had killed his brothers over the years.

That was it. That was the whole story, right there, the story of his life. He'd grown up believing this to be true, and maybe he'd always been somewhat mad underneath, I didn't know. Then the resistance found him after his sons were imprisoned and got one hell of a loyal ally in a heir of the four Cabal families. Now he was cracked. Humpty Dumpty cracked. Clayton's mental, psychological and physical threat had more or less thrown him off the wall.

Clayton had us leave when we'd made sure he was more or less treated and fed, and Reece and I sat upstairs, both a little stunned. Out of all the answers. Aaron, Demetruis's son, had wanted power and a pack. Demetruis wanted to help a resistance group overthrow the government and thought that by impregnating Elena, he'd have the best weapons in the world. My twins were the backup.

I flopped onto the couch. "Bloody hell."

Reece just rubbed his head. "No kidding. If I hear Reece junior talk like that, I'm kicking him in the bum."

I slid across to lean against him, shutting my eyes, hearing the toddlers outside with Nick and Jeremy, playing in the leaves. Elena was upstairs near the kid twins and the baby twins. They were trying to make sure we had the freedom to help Clayton, I knew that. I wasn't sure what else he could get out of Demetruis.

"I hope madness isn't inherited." I muttered.

"They've inherited your madness first. That's what counts." Reece muttered. "_Fuck_. The man's insane."

Now I felt tired. I shut my eyes, exhausted with all of it, Reece's arm coming over my shoulder. The entire thing. It felt like it should be over. We'd captured the bad guy. Captured him and now Clayton just needed to somehow get his hands on the cure.

"You enjoy last night?" Reece's voice came, softer. I blinked, memories of the 'sandwich' running through me, memories that did stir something. Even _now_, they were stirring something.

I didn't answer for a while.

"If you don't like the idea, don't worry about it. I'm still a little stunned." He shook his head.

"Me too." I admitted. "I don't know. I didn't say I didn't like it. I just... Demetruis. I guess it's overwhelming. Demetruis _and_ Nick's idea. And _you_ liking it."

"I never said I didn't like sex. I just figured it was off the cards if Daniella wasn't interested. No one else is really interesting." Reece admitted. "I've tried a few times, had a good time, but it wasn't really that much fun. Nick's idea is ...interesting."

So was I, apparently, interesting enough. He stroked my arm, slowly, as I relaxed into a doze, using his thigh for a pillow.

"I've only slept with Nick." I admitted, sleepy, feeling then Reece's body tense slightly. "I mean, willingly. I didn't have sex before him."

I heard him breathe out, a soft 'Oooh' come from him, as if he suddenly got it. "You look buggered. Come on. Come upstairs, we'll have a nap."

"Twins in my room. No napping."

"In my room." He prodded my side. "Clean bed. Sheets changed this morning. No funny business."

I gave in and followed Reece upstairs, unable to resist the idea of a nap now, my arms aching where the crutches had started to rub, and crawled on top of the clean sheets. Reece got me one of Nick's pillows, and I clung to it and passed out _finally_.

I woke to the smell and feel of Nick beside me, sitting there, the sound of pages turning as he read to three interested sets of ears. 'The very hungry caterpillar' was starving, apparently, because he repeated it several times before the triplets were satisfied. Dominic, I knew it without looking, was using one of my calves as a pillow. Lily and Susie were bouncing around eagerly. I smelt a pear somewhere, probably their snack.

"Mama's awake." Nick announced, as I shifted over, lifting Dominic up into my arms. He yawned, looked a little less stressed than the day before, but was very happy to resume his snuggle. "You're in the wrong bed, Mama."

"I needed some sleep." I smiled sheepishly. "Hi."

"Read it again!" Susie pushed at Nick, pushed the book at him, so he started all over again. To my amusement, this time he read it in Italian, and all three babies seemed to get it .

For the rest of the day, Clayton didn't need me, not until an hour before Benicio Cortez was due back. I helped him clean up the older man, who really looked old now, as best we could. Made him drink a drink with a sedative, re-dressed him, and had only just got the job done before Benicio's people came downstairs and Clayton had to let them take him. We watched them cart him off, the limp body between them, and then he joined Benicio Cortez, Elena, Jeremy and Lucas in the study again for a meeting as the van took away the asshole who'd more or less screwed up my life and tried to hurt my kids.

"We're going for a run tonight." Nick told me, as he got pizzas out of the oven, that faint concern still on his face. "Elena's orders. You need to sleep tonight."

"I think I just need to sleep tonight." I smiled weakly as he frowned. "Sorry. If you need to go..."

"No, I can wait a few days." Nick shook his head. "Just thought it might relax you."

The next few days, we discussed what had been found out, sat, and waited for news. Benicio Cortez had let us know that he'd find out the cure and would give it to Elena, Clayton had been unable to get much out of Demetruis about that, except that he hired people to worry about it for him. Made a huge profit out of it.

And in the human world, it seemed, the disease was finally making ripples. It was more serious than I'd given it credit for, spreading throughout the world, and it meant that it finally reached Pav. She got sick months after the rest of us, as did a few other members of the Russian pack, the illness finally making its way into the European supernatural community.

Vi reassured me that they were coping. I stayed in touch when I wasn't hobbling around, able to abandon the crutches more or less now, and she let me know that everything was fine. Pav's boys had gotten sick but they recovered just as fast as they got sick. They were amazing kids, dark brown hair and green eyes, toddlers that looked suntanned because of their mother's beautiful skin. The green eyes apparently came from the Russian Alpha's grandfather, or something.

Elena and I started to spend more time together, waiting for the right time to test for her, and she finally started to let me see the stress there when she wasn't acting as Alpha. Maybe it was helping for her to see how much I cared for the babies, I didn't know, I didn't know how I could help her face this reality that she might or was carrying around children that didn't belong to Clayton. If Clayton felt anything I didn't hear about it. He went right back to being dad, protector, and didn't say a word once the news had been spread. No one else needed to know yet about what Demetruis had tried to do with her body... and yet somehow, _everyone_ knew.

The second she found out where and when the disease was being given out, Demetruis free again and back trading in Miami, Elena was already packing, Clayton right there.

"Are we all coming?" I asked as she packed, and she shook her head.

"This is something the Alpha needs to do now her arm can work." Clayton said, soft, but firm. This was, in other words, something Elena had to do. Prove herself. It could take a few years before the mutts really took her seriously as Alpha, I knew that, but this was one hell of a way to start the 'education'. "Adam and Savannah are there to provide backup. The Cabal are staying out of it on her request."

"So we stay and guard the kids?" I asked and he nodded. Not a small task either, if not quite as exciting as 'go and bash people', and I would have to take it pretty seriously. Jeremy wouldn't be going with them. Only people who were physically able to defend themselves and, as sharp as Jeremy's mind was, he wasn't able to do that yet. Not till she got her hands on the cure. Treatment. Whatever it was.

"We'll be back in time for you to go to New York for that tour." Clayton nodded. I'd completely forgotten about it all over again. "But yes. _Guard our kids_." An order and, I realised, one hell of a compliment from him if he still trusted me with his kids.

We watched them, tense all over again, knowing that whatever they were going into... it was not going to be pretty. Bunch of drug addicted people fighting to defend their drug source? It was not going to be pretty at all. Elena would be spectacular. Now we just had to go back to the worst part of all of this- _waiting_.


	21. Trust

Once the daze over Nick and Reece's grope-tease really wore off, even after this time, I started to really focus once again. Or tried to. Toddlers wanting food, leaving incredible messes that I was sure were records, babies still needing feeding, cuddles, play, even with the help it was a huge job. One baby was a full time job. Five of them?

Once Elena was gone though, Matt, Kate and Logan were more or less let off. I was still annoyed with them for lying to me but Matt was fine and we'd more or less come to an agreement about him calming down. Sort of.

I sat there at the end of the day, staring at the mess left behind as Nick tried to get them to sleep upstairs, watching the washing machine churn away and feeling a little dazed now over the wash of chaos. Normal chaos. I should have been relaxed, should have felt like it was 'almost over'. Shouldn't I? I wasn't entirely sure why they'd let Demetruis out anyway. To lead them to the 'main warehouse?' I wasn't sure. This was not a part of the plan Elena or Clayton had elaborated on. Just that 'he was loose' and they were going after him and the drugs. Maybe they were concerned that if I knew too much, I'd sneak after them.

Maybe they were right about that.

"You want me to clean this up?" Reece stepped into the kitchen and gawked at it. His eyes went to my foot.

"I could use some help, yeah." I admitted, making my way over slowly, using the heel now that I could more or less put weight back on it. We cleaned up, wiped up sticky food, stuck dishes back in the dishwasher, and tried to clean the kitchen. I sighed, leaning against the bench when it was more or less cleaned from the custard powder, salt and tomato paste artwork I'd left behind in my rush of cooking.

Reece flopped beside me, dropping his head, but he didn't seem as tired as I was. "Seem funny to you that Demetruis is out?"

"I figured they wanted him to lead them somewhere." I nodded.

"Yeah, me too. Wish I could help."

"Me too. I like this life. It's just...hard to keep switching from this to that, then back again." I admitted. I loved my kids more than anything I had ever loved, ever, loved Nick equally as much... but it was hard to switch off 'adrenaline' or 'soldier' once it was on. I wondered if there was a switch.

"We should go for a run." Reece said quietly. "It might help."

"We've got to watch kids, remember?" I sighed. Honestly, as much as I could go a while without it, some part of me did need it. Need to run, to chase rabbits, to hunt, and to get all this pent up frustration _out_. I wanted to go fight beside Elena and Clayton. I couldn't though. Clayton was right. Elena was alpha and this _had_ to be her moment.

"I'll talk to Jeremy. I'm sure they can handle it now they're asleep."

The bigger kids might have passed out, after I'd let them race in circles around the house like crazy things all day, set up a tent in Matt's room with the promise that they would not go anywhere except that room all night, and probably the twins. But the toddlers? It didn't sound like it. I could still hear Nick upstairs, trying to convince three very awake toddlers they were tired- but I let Reece head upstairs anyway.

A car got my attention and I went outside, trying to get goop off my top, seeing a face I hadn't seen for a long time now. Jamie smiled at me, putting a finger to her mouth, as she slid out of the car.

"Jeremy doesn't know you're here, does he?" I asked softly, and she shook her head, a wicked grin on her face.

"Can you help sneak me into his bedroom?" She asked softly. She was wearing a trench coat, heels, and I knew from experience what that meant. Jamie was either undressed under there or more or less seconds from it. I snorted, she shhhed me, and we made our way upstairs.

It wasn't that hard. Jeremy was now with Nick, trying to help him convince the triplets they were sleepy, the door shut and the night light on. We snuck past, down to Jeremy's bedroom, and I left her in there. It might not have been a plot that'd work usually- not with a werewolf's nose- but with Jeremy still 'uncured', it was going to work spectacularly.

She mouthed something about morning, probably 'talk in the morning' or 'see you in the morning' or something, and I left her to her little plan as I went back downstairs. I was looking forward to seeing Jeremy's face in the morning, that was for sure.

Reece was downstairs, looking for me, and he grinned when he caught sight of me. He lifted me up, swinging me around. "Freedom. We're going hunting. Nick's coming and Jeremy's going to be babysitting."

"On his own? Poor guy."

"I promised we'd be back by five. It's night. He can cope."

I didn't tell Reece he wasn't going to be on his own. I had to admit I was just happy that we were going out for a run. Nick and Reece may have given up on their 'threesome' idea, they hadn't bugged me about it since I'd told Reece I'd been a virgin when I'd met Nick, but I still loved going hunting with the two of them.

Nick came down half an hour later, tired looking, muttering something about needing to get spare nappies from Forestwatch before we went anywhere. So we went back to have another 'snack', waiting, my body itching to get started now that it was more or less guaranteed that we were going to go for the run and work out the pent up need for activity.

After a while, I decided Nick could just hurry up and join us when he got back, and headed out into the forest ahead of Reece who was writing a note more or less to that effect. He didn't need to- Nick would figure it out sooner or later- but it would at least speed him up a bit.

I stripped off, left the clothing , and got down to changing. No rush, no anxiety, just the usual agony that came with the usual speed, until it was done, the ache in my body and head and chest was gone, and I lying on my side once more, in a form that was starting to feel as natural to me as a human body had.

There was no time to lay around though. Reece was up, prancing around in the wet ground, I heard him circle around the little clearing I'd chosen as he waited for me to finish. I slid across the ground, quiet, sneaking away as he paced in a circle, amused as he kept circling that spot... he only noticed I'd elft it when he came across the fresh scent across the ground.

By then, I was racing away, tail up, ears up, joy flooding me at the sheer freedom in this. In being able to run, and jump, and snap at a low branch that sent droplets of water flying all over the place as I caught it and tugged at it. A startled bird jumped higher up as the tree shook.

Reece ploughed into me from the side, rolling us both over as his teeth caught onto fur, and he mock-growled when he had me pinned under him, teeth against my throat. Very clever. He caught me. I wriggled, pushing at him with paws, whining and pretending to be hurt. He backed off, inhaling, eyes narrowing when he found no sign of blood.

What he did find, apparently, was my scent. He pounced back, almost as if he was tempted to climb on top of me like a horny wolf, only to back off again and wriggle around, bum in the air, _daring_ me to chase him, to _play_ with him.

I saw Nick close behind him, sneaking up, low to the ground as I approached Reece. It was Nick who got his tail though, pouncing at him, the two of them turning on each other and having mock battles while I had to sit back and watch. Yawn. Battling each other? That was no fun for _me_.

While they were distracted I was gone, slipping through the dense forest, weaving my way through the forest without concern or need to hide scent or trails. From what? Out here, in Jeremy's land, it was safe. No one was going to come for us out here.

Nick caught up with me a few hundred metres later, nudging me in a different direction, nuzzle-shoving as Reece took the lead. I wasn't sure where they wanted to lead me. I wanted to go this way, follow _this_ rabbit, not that way.

He growled, shook his head, and made me go another direction. I was more curious than obedient, I had to admit, not sure why Reece and Nick were leading me into Forestwatch's land. Did we need to re-claim it? It was pretty quiet, empty of pack scents, not as many prey in this land as the other.

Once we were in the land, the two of them circled me, suddenly staring at me in a way that made me nervous. No more human mind to block it out, or pretend that 'they'd lost interest', the wolf in me knew what these 'expressions' were. It was the look of a wolf as they stared at their mate with interest that had nothing to do with hunting or playing, and it was coming from two male wolves, not one. To the wolf in me, this spelt trouble, maybe a fight... and yet, they didn't fight. Snap at each other a little bit, Nick's nose pressing against my hip, his need as strong as his scent and making me tremble. I knew what he wanted. Almost expected him to do it now, right now, except that he just stood there, as Reece came to the other side.

I snapped at them both, trying to tell them to cut it out, but they ignored me. Sniffed, prodded, noses going where they didn't usually linger, and I felt a heavy body suddenly weigh my back half down .It wasn't a serious attempt at 'mating', it was something else, Nick teasing me. Claiming me. Maybe a little of both. Reece snapped at him, shoving him, and suddenly it was him trying it, as Nick snapped at him.

It was only when I wriggled forward, dropping to my belly, trying to indicate that I was changing back now, did they back off. I swear I saw Nick grin then, as if this was what he'd been hoping I'd do, saw Reece and him share a look as they backed off in a hurry themselves.

I changed back and stood there in the cold night, face flushed as I recalled how Nick and Reece had been behaving, mistakenly assuming that it had been called off. What else should I have expected? The past two days, they'd said and done nothing about it, we'd focused on the problem itself.

Suddenly, I had this distinct sense of being watched. Not just watched, but really being watched, someone coming out of the bush, their breathing still fast, the smell of sweat as they came out into the clearing. Then someone _else_. I inhaled, slowly, shutting my eyes, my heart speeding up and body tensing.

I knew I wasn't in danger. My reaction was about something else I smelt. The wolf in me, it was back again, pacing up and down, aware that I was being hunted for a different purpose right now. Was 'two mates' even normal in wolves? I had no effing clue.

A twig snapped as someone came closer, slowly, carefully. They'd probably snapped it on purpose. They didn't need to, I knew he was there, I knew what he was thinking. I _smelt_ it. When I opened my eyes, I saw Reece right in front of me, staring at me with an expression he'd never directed my way before. His eyes were openly staring at me like he'd never seen me naked before when he had, every time we ran as a pack. I became vaguely aware that I was shaking.

Nick slid up behind me, a hand brushing across my shoulders, gentle. "Hi."

"You two up to something?"

"Maybe." He grinned, sliding up behind me, gently grasping my arms. Not restraining, it wasn't the right word for it, but holding me still. I knew I was in control here. One word and they'd back off. "We won't do it here though."

I didn't ask where. I lost the ability to ask as Reece stepped closer, closing the gap until there was no more cold air, just the warmth of skin, lips pressing against my throat, my back, and no way to deny that both he and Nick were completely into this. So was I, apparently, but my mind was struggling to keep up with my body.

"What are those rules Reece talked about?" I tried to ask, eyes shutting, a familiar hand running down one side.

"He's not allowed to kiss you while we're doing this. He has to take that pill I take." Nick replied against my ear. I felt the rough wool of a blanket in the hand that was still beside him. "And I'm in charge."

"You mean _I_ am." Even as I said it, I suspected it wasn't true. I wasn't in charge at all.

"You can say no but I'm in charge." He growled softly, nipping my neck, and I inhaled as I felt Reece's fingers move up the inside of my thigh. Not Nick's fingers. I knew those rough fingers, rough from hard work, slight callouses on them. Nick's fingers were smooth, firm, nails clipped perfectly. Reece wasn't as obsessive about his hands. "Of both of you."

"He is." Reece agreed, his head moving back as he gazed down at me from the front, careful. Always so careful, never wanting someone in his pack to be hurt, and even now, even when he was probably so aroused it hurt, he had to check. "Then me."

Somehow I didn't mind that idea, being the last one to call the shots right now, as hard as it was to just let go. Trust them.

I inhaled slowly I felt his fingers reach the warmth between my legs, eyes in mine, watching me as he slowly explored. Nick nuzzled against my neck, understanding every sound I made, his free hand stroking down my back and trying to relax me. They were both prodding against me now, against my stomach and back, and ...it had nothing to do with the 'bitch in heat scent'. This realisation, that they were turned on by _me_ and _not_ the smell, it staggered me a little. Reece pushed a finger up inside me, I shut my eyes, body clutching hard around him, cheeks flushed.

"This another sample?"

"Till we get home." Reece moved closer, pulling his finger out, and pulled me against him. "Damn, Nick, look at her face. You sure I can't kiss her?" That finger brushed against my lips, my eyes open as he stared at them, parting them slightly.

"That's the rules. Only after."

Reece growled softly, going for my neck again, kissing that instead with the intensity that I suspected he'd hoped he could use for me. My head was tugged back and Nick kissed me instead, kissed me hard, his fingers tangling through my hair.

"Come on." Nick pulled me back from Reece, the blanket coming around me. "Don't want to finish before you've started."

He led me through the forest, my legs weak, Reece behind. I expected us to go to Stonehaven but instead, we'd changed near Forestwatch, the building empty, dark and quiet. Or it _should_ have been. I saw flickering lights in there, candles, saw that Nick had apparently already planned this. No idea when. No desire to tell him off for leaving candles unattended. Just followed him into the small den, the room that was more or less safe, Reece close behind us.

Once we were in there, Reece shut the door, Nick shut the curtains, and I felt their gazes return to me. Nick moved me, turning me around to face Reece, pulling the blanket back off me. Now here, in the light, I saw Reece. Completely naked and completely aroused, his own eyes going down my body in return.

I suddenly felt self-concious, aware that my legs weren't totally shaved, that I had scars, I wasn't flawless or thin like others. And from the look on his face, that didn't matter to him in the slightest.

"You sure, Nick? Anne?" Reece suddenly looked up. "I ..."

"If Anne's not saying no, then she's saying yes. She's shy." Nick replied, pulling my arms back, gently restraining me all over again. He nuzzled my neck. "It's okay."

I wanted to tell him off. Instead, I nodded a fraction, shutting my eyes, trying to not compare the two. Reece was muscled like Nick, I'd noticed, a little hairier, just as tall. But his muscles were from actual need for fighting, where as Nick was more for 'good body' purposes, which meant they were a little more pronounced, a few more scars here and there, and ... was he larger? Or just wider? I didn't know. I didn't know if it mattered.

He must have seen the nod, because suddenly I was pinned again, two heartbeats on either side of me, two mouths against my skin, breathing harder as they gave up trying to be 'gentle'. Neither wanted to be gentle or slow, their instincts from the run probably screaming in their head.

With my back against Nick, and his arms around me, it was just seconds before Reece had my legs around his waist and pushed up hard, sinking into me, my body stretching to manage this- he was wider than Nick, different, I _felt_ it even if I had been too shy to see it. I made a soft noise, breathing out, Reece's hips coming to meet mine as our bodies somehow fit, Nick's lips kissing my shoulder as he held me there.

"You okay?" Reece asked, and I nodded, opening my eyes as I stared at him. Our eyes met, him as stunned as I was, maybe even now barely able to believe what we were letting him in on, and suddenly he was kissing me hard against Nick's shoulder, ignoring Nick's soft hiss of 'Hey!'.

When he finally let me go, Reece pulled my arms around his neck, grinning over my shoulder at Nick who shook his head, and pulled my weight against him for a moment. I sunk deeper, body stretching, the near-pain of the new body under me increasing a little more... and then I felt Nick there, behind me, pushing himself against me with the help of something slippery. I clung to Reece, shutting my eyes again, mind blown by the feeling of Nick's body trying to get into that place he'd only attempted once before. No time to be nervous, or anxious, or anything, just squeezing my eyes shut as they both pushed inside me, Nick's breathing ragged now as my body squeezed him hard there _too_. He could barely get himself in and had to pause.

"Kiss her again for me." He hissed, his chin on my shoulder, breathing hard. "Relax, Liz."

Reece obliged, kissing me gently now, his own breathing harder. I kissed back, eyes shut, the pain of it nothing compared to... the incredible sense of being sandwiched and being so full. Willingly. Of two people I loved and trusted so differently. And my body was enjoying it, my muscles relaxing, Nick noticing and trying again.

"We'll be slow." Nick groaned softly, pushing up again, inching in slowly.

"Don't be." I pleaded, crying out as he did what I asked , as Nick literally pushed up suddenly. I fell back against his chest, Reece moving forward, his body moving back and then up again, fast, one of Nick's hands holding my legs up so that Reece could cup one of my breasts, groping it gently, exploring with his free hand.

It took them a few seconds to figure out a rhythm that actually matched, and by then I was _almost_ pleading for the two of them to hurry up, almost, and when they did I wasn't able to speak anyway. They lasted only minutes, the three of us grinding against each other, my head and body surrounded by their groans and moans, and I felt Reece loose it fast, his body exploding against my thigh as Nick managed to hold on a second longer. Only a few seconds. I felt him join him, while my own body was still screaming for release, and I almost hit them both for finishing _before_ me. I'd been just there, almost, and this was maddening. _Torture_. Not letting me … I growled, biting whoever it was close to my head, a deep annoyed growl that made Nick laugh.

I opened my eyes as Reece flopped, guilt all over his face, heard Nick laughing softly. "She hasn't..."

"Told you it's hard to last with her." Nick lowered me onto the ground. "We haven't forgotten you, Liz. We made sure we'd last longer..."

I noticed it, that neither of them had gotten 'small', even if they had finished. If anything they seemed more ...determined, prodding at my stomach and back, slippery with fluids. Nick turned me around to kiss me gently, his eyes shut. Reece's mouth found mine, seconds later, as Nick gave it up, rough and smooth hands stroking my body, groping and pressing into me.

"Let me have her on my own." Reece's eyes met Nick's eyes, and when he nodded, I was pushed down onto my back, Reece's thicker body pinning me down.

He was inside me in a second, groaning, lifting one of my legs up as Nick told him to. Reece wasn't gentle, he wasn't calm, his kisses were hard, body slamming against mine, his hard muscular hips grinding into mine, while he kept himself slightly above me so he could watch me. I cried out, the pain nothing compared to the sense of it, my hands on Reece's shoulders. It was like he'd finally lost control over his attempts to be gentle, nothing about this was gentle, it was rough, almost animal-like with Nick there, like his presence was provoking Reece to try and 'outdo' him. _And it worked_. I cried out, body exploding under him, Reece's own body claiming mine a few more times before he stiffened and released inside me before he could stop himself.

After that, Nick and Reece took turns, or they used me together. Used was the wrong word though. I wasn't there for them to use, they made it clear, they were both loving me... it didn't matter how rough or gentle they were, neither forgot I was there. I was more or less close to passing out, only to snap back to conciousness, stunned by ...more orgasms in a short space of time than that I'd had for _months_.

Nick was the last though. Reece had passed out beside us, totally spent, and Nick took his time 'finishing', mouth against mine the whole time, the two of us twice as possessive as we usually were. It was rough and tender all at once, the smell of our blood as I nipped him and bled a little myself, and when we released, it was together, moaning into each other's mouths, Nick's arms tightening around me.

He held me a long time, murmuring his love, and I did the same till we fell asleep, Nick flopping to my other side and sprawling out across me. Reece moved then, shifting closer, pulling a leg across him so he could snuggle me from the other side. Neither seemed to care about the other's nudity, even now.

"Did I hurt you?" Reece asked softly.

"Shut up, Reece, she's sleepy." Nick tried to hit across me at him, yawning.

"I'm good." I copied his yawn, Reece catching it, and laughed softly when he yawned too. "Don't we have to go back?"

"Three hours. Go to sleep." Nick nudged me, turning me around so my head was against his chest, Reece's weight coming to rest across my back.

We fell asleep, finally giving into our bodies need for rest, satisfied and _fucked_. Quite literally. All of us. It wasn't better than Nick, exactly, I had nights like this with him when we got a few nights away, but not for a _very long time_ and I'd never been with another man. Not like this. It was better than the 'quick, do it now before the babies notice' quickies … any night of sex with Nick felt like this. Satisfying on every level, physical, emotional... but the only difference was that it hadn't just been Nick and I felt like I'd just had a 'first time' all over again, my hips were so sore.

I was the last to fall asleep, their breathing slowing before mine, eyes shutting against Nick's chest.

At some point, around three according to Nick's watch, I had to go to the bathroom though. I untangled myself from the two of them, limping to the bathroom, knowing I'd need a shower before we did anything about going back.

I sat there, staring at my legs, dried blood down the inside where someone had gotten a bit excited and a bit rough, probably Reece, but felt nothing except ...satisfaction. The two men I loved the most in the world, for slightly different reasons, and they'd both just tried to make me happy? How could I be unhappy about this?

I wasn't sure why I looked at the window after washing my hands. When I did, I wished I hadn't, horror and fear striking deep inside.

It was back. The thing. Monster. Alien. Whatever the fuck it was, it was back, and I suddenly could barely move. I hadn't turned on the light into the bathroom- I'd just used the hall light- and yet it was staring straight at me.

There were a lot of things I could do. But fear of this... it was impossible to not be afraid, the fear freezing me on the spot, heart racing as it came closer to the window. Floated closer. I didn't know. And when the hand hit the window, not just touched but hit, the glass shuddering, a low sound came from me, something that might have been a scream if I wasn't breathless with the fear it induced.

"Nick? Reece?" My voice came out, though it didn't sound like me, the voice strangled. The hand struck the window again as if it was trying to break it. No more badass werewolf woman. I was fucking scared and I didn't care if it was a spell or what. I tried again, tried louder, "Reece! Nick!"

No answer. I saw it strike the window again, harder, the glass shuddering and threatening to break. I smelt it, though I didn't know what it was, and even as a wolf I would have been terrified of this thing. I couldn't explain it- just that I was terrified of it. Nothing about it was natural.

"Anne?" Reece called, coming around, yawning, reaching out for me. "What's going o-... holy fuck, _what is that_." He yanked me closer, his own heart rate suddenly increasing, and I smelt the same sudden fear in him too.

It wasn't just me.

It struck the window, glass cracking, and Reece grabbed me harder, though neither of us could move now that the eyes were locked in ours.

"You see it too?" I managed to ask, shaking, teeth chattering. God. One more hit …

He swore, as the hand came back down at the half-broken glass, and the hand came straight through the window. He didn't take his eyes off it but he backed up fast, as it didn't just come through the window- once the glass was broken, it came through the wall as if there was no wall. I wasn't sure where the body was, it seemed to fade away, seemed to go dark as if it had its own shadow as apart of its physical structure.

An owl suddenly appeared, then another, then another, attacking it, claws at it, a low hiss coming from it as if gas was escaping. Then they vanished into the darkness of the night, as it was pulled back, suddenly nothing there.

Neither of us could move still, the fear paralysing us, Reece's skin clammy and his heart racing as fast as mine was.

"Do we have to go out there?"

"Out there?"

"We have to go back by five." I reminded Reece. He swore softly.

"I don't want to fucking go anywhere till it's light. Come on." He pulled me back, shutting the door,and the two of us jumped out of our skins as we turned around and saw a pale body coming at us.

It was Nick. Sneaking up on us from behind. Reece hit him, I nearly hyperventilated right then and there, not sure if I was relieved someone else had seen it or more freaked out than before.

"What's with you two?" Nick blinked at us, going from one to the other, then to the door we'd shut. He headed for it and Reece grabbed his hand.

"Can we get into the den? Please?" I pleaded. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if that was good enough, the _basement_ sounded fantastic. "Or the basement? How about that?"

Reece was as spooked as I was and he dragged me and Nick downstairs into the lit den, his body shaking, mouth opening and shutting as if he would think of something to say and then scrap that in favour of thinking of something else.

"What was it?" Nick asked and neither of us spoke.

A hoot made Reece flinch. He hadn't let go of me, hand clutching my arm, he only let go long enough to pull a blanket around my shoulders. I'd seen Reece do a lot of things, especially in the past few hours, avoid injuries, get upset, get angry... but get scared? Big time scared? So scared he struggled to talk?

If I wasn't equally as scared I would have laughed.

"What's going on?" Nick grabbed Reece's shoulder, as if he was tempted to shake him. The amusement was gone now.

"Something was in the bathroom. Or it was trying to get in."

"What?"

"Some thing, Nick. Shit. I've never been so scared in my life." Reece was still shaking so I slid closer, wrapping the blanket around him, his arms grabbing onto me for dear life. "It broke the window. No, Ni-"

I spun around, but Nick had gone back upstairs, clearly intending on finding whatever the hell had come.

"It might have been a spell." I tried, Reece's arms tightening when I was tempted to go after Nick, his heart still racing. Every instinct in my body felt like that thing was wrong. From the sound it made, to the way it didn't have a scent, and that I didn't hear anything from it besides the hiss. Nothing. Not a heart, not a pair of lungs, nothing. Yet it was physical enough to smash a fucking window.

"That both of us saw?" Reece muttered. He sat down in the small sofa there, pulling me into his lap. "Maybe. Fuck. I don't know. It _smashed_ your window."

Nick returned and I relaxed, making him sit with us, making him sit close enough so I could hold onto him. "Window's broken. I saw a few owls."

We both flinched.

"We got to walk back to Stonehaven. Through the forest." Reece muttered. He did not look keen.

"Naked." I added, though that shouldn't have mattered. Our clothing was near Stonehaven. I shivered, felt the arms tighten again, and tried to ignore the window. I knew this was my home, more or less, but right now it scared me more than any other place. "That thing … I've never been scared like that either."

"We better go. I don't want to stay here." Reece muttered. But he didn't move. Just sat there, with me half on his lap and half on Nick's lap, staring at the window.

"If it was a spell, it means we were attacked." I muttered. That made him tense more, maybe cut the fear down a little, and Reece blinked as he tried to get a hold on himself.

"We have to get back then." Nick stood up. He helped me stand, helped Reece stand, and vanished into the laundry. He came back with some clothing that hadn't been rescued and offered it to us.

We dressed in the odd mix of clothing, Reece's eyes catching on the blood on my leg before I could hide it properly, but he was so freaked out that he didn't say a word. I tried to get over it, tried to force the fear back, tried to find that stuff I used when I had to be strong, and found myself just as bad as I was seconds before as we stepped out into the darkness. It didn't help that I was afraid of the dark, though usually fine with others, didn't help that Reece had been as scared as I'd been.

The night was silent though. Really silent. In fact, I wasn't sure I'd ever heard it this quiet, there wasn't a peep from anywhere near us. I jumped when I felt something touch my hand but it was just Reece, sliding his hand into mine, as his head swung around. It was Nick who was being the tough one right now, not a role he usually took on, but he lead the path and we followed into the crowding trees.

I had never been afraid on this land before. Maybe that was because no one had seen the thing before.

Nick glanced back, grabbing my other hand, and some part of me wanted to shove them both back, wanted to go 'I'm fine', and refuse their help.

When an owl flew across our path, Nick jumping back and Reece swearing, I gave up on that idea and said something about hurrying. Nick took one look at my bad foot, glanced at Reece, both of them apparently so buddy buddy now that they could share an idea without speaking. Because I was suddenly offered a back and Nick carried me while Reece moved ahead.

"Tell us if you hear anything." Nick said softly. His voice was too loud, too strange in the night.

"There's no sounds. At all." I muttered, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing the back of it as he hurried a little more. I didn't have to tell him that this was a very unusual thing for the bush. Nick had grown up in these woods. He knew how noisy they got to a werewolf's ears.

We didn't talk for the rest of the trip. Nick moved fast, Reece beside me, and quite literally the second we crossed over the fence between the two properties, suddenly things changed. Sounds returned. Animals, sleeping birds, nocturnal animals moving through the bush, and a crack of thunder that made all three of us jump. I had to get off Nick's back to get over, staring up, and the rain suddenly poured down on us with a kind of fury that took my breath away, the sky lighting up with flashes and thunder as if it'd been going for hours.

"What the fuck?" Reece spun around and nearly fell over. I did as well and wished I hadn't.

It was there. Maybe fifty metres away, in the bush, but it was there. And it wasn't raining there. Like the storm was JUST on this side of the fence, right down to the clouds, like nothing wanted to be in that land right now. Not the animals, not us, not even the _weather_. I saw it though. One sign of life in there- one of those owls again. Nick saw it too and I saw the same irrational terror flood into his face, as he grabbed me and Reece backwards.

We jogged the rest of the way, or rather they did, while I had to be piggybacked, Reece doing it this time as Nick had gone into a kind of shock. Maybe he thought we'd lost our minds.

Stonehaven was safe though. Nick and Reece checked, while I used the crutches to hurry around the ground floor, sniffing and listening and checking. Stonehaven was exactly like we'd left it, nothing unusual, kids all asleep, Jeremy and Jamie asleep in his room.

We met downstairs in the newer half and sat there, clutching drinks, all looking like we'd seen ghosts. I wondered if we had. It was lucky Jamie was here. Or was it? I didn't know any more.

"So you've seen it before?"

"I thought it was a spell." I muttered. Drank the cocoa, stared at the table, still cold even with the fire going.

"Maybe it is." But Nick wasn't looking convinced either. "It couldnt be anything else. Did you see the way the clouds..."

"And those fucking owls. I hate owls." Reece shuddered, shut his eyes, then opened them as he stared at me. "You got hurt."

"Huh?" I had forgotten about it, wasn't sure what he was saying, not till his eyes went down. "Oh. I forgot about that."

"She did?" Nick shifted closer, sliding the skirt I'd put on up, but he didn't look all that concerned. "It's okay. It happens sometimes."

"It does?" Reece stared at him like he was mad, like it should never happen. "Maybe you should see a doctor."

"Don't spoil it." Nick was just as glad for the change in subject, I realised, just as glad to be back onto a topic he was confidant and happy about. He grinned at me, a weak shaky grin, his own jaw shaking even now. "You had fun. We saw it."

"I might have." I flushed, as Reece's eyes locked onto me, suddenly really embarrassed.

"That's a yes, can we do that again." Nick translated. Nudged me, the grin gaining strength when I didn't argue.

"I don't want to hurt you." Reece wasn't smiling.

Nick rolled his eyes, pulled me into his lap, and bit my neck gently. I shut my eyes as his hand slid up, flushing, no dim candles to hide my expression now. It was bright and Reece was watching every single reaction I had to Nick. Fingers pressed inside me, Nick's eyes in mine, and I saw in Reece's eyes that desire flare back up. He actually stood up when I heard Jeremy. Coming downstairs.

"Jeremy."

"Fucking hell." Reece swore, almost banging his cup down, flopping back. "Don't tease me like that, Nick."

Nick grinned, pulled his fingers out of me, and I stood up.

"I need a shower anyway. I'm a mess."

"We know." Nick agreed. "Go on. We better tell Jeremy what happened."

I didn't want to go alone. I did anyway, I knew I was safe here ,I didn't know how to explain it. Suddenly I wondered how much of that night, when the twins had been taken, just how much of that had been fake.

It made no sense.

The shower helped ease the anxiety and stress though, and eased sore muscles as well, I was amused to see just how much 'damage' they'd done. I'd need to wear a scarf or something. At least the amusement was helping ease the shock away, about what we'd just seen, and I started to wonder if we were under some spell. Maybe the place was being robbed again. Maybe they hadn't wanted to tangle with us, so they scared us away, and I knew that 'visions' could be shared. That had worked on the ex-alpha and myself far too well.

When I went down, now dressed, Jeremy said more or less the same thing. Then he told us off for being IN Forestwatch anyway, as we weren't sure it was safe after the fire, particularly after part of the roof had collapsed. He looked at me, as he said this, like he was disappointed in me. I was tempted to say Nick was the adult here... but I doubt that would have helped my case much.

The question as to what we were doing there, Nick grinned, Reece looked a bit sheepish, and Nick said something about sex and sleeping, without elaborating.

"Speaking of them," I tried to change the subject and saw Jeremy freeze, "Did you find a naked necromancer in your room?"

Jeremy blinked, his cheeks may have gone a shade warmer, and then he smiled somewhat. "I may have."

"Jamie's here? Can we ask her?" Nick sat up a bit more.

"She's asleep and may need to sleep in for a while longer." Jeremy shook his head, glancing at the clock, not even six yet. "I needed a drink."

It worked though, he stopped telling us off about Forestwatch, and instead let Nick and Reece go upstairs to have showers of their own while he checked the foot. I'd left it uncovered, the shower had more or less soaked the bandage, and Jeremy seemed happy with it.

We put the news back on, curling up near each other, Jeremy's arm going across my shoulder as we watched early morning stuff.

"News from Elena?"

"There's no clear trail. It's leading them away from Miami. The factory you visited is empty now. There's a number of potiental sites right across America so they're taking it one spot at a time." Jeremy replied softly. "But they have some better ideas about where it's made from what was left over. Cortez has taken the remaining belongings to test them."

"That's good news, yeah?" I asked, head flopping against a shoulder, feeling him nod as his shoulder jerked.

"It's very good news. It might be over faster than we expected. Elena and Clayton have just got to keep up their hunt for the time being." He replied, voice soft, and I felt him dig into his pocket and hand me something. "This is for you."

I looked at the piece of paper, a tiny rune thing, a bit like a mandala or sacred geometry. It was like the one on Jamie's leg, I realised, and I'd never thought about where she'd gotten it.

"Did you draw this?"

He nodded and I admired it. People didn't know how hard it was to draw stuff like this. "It's beautiful."

"You could tattoo it." Jeremy suggested, opening one eye, amused as he saw I actually liked it. "I've tried to convince Clayton and Elena to do it but they lost theirs ..."

"Might be nice to have something on me that I put there willingly. I'll think about it." I wasn't going to loose it though. I loved stuff like this, loved to draw it, paint it, and now Jeremy had drawn me another thing? How awesome! I slid it into my pocket and resumed cuddle time in front of the TV.

I fell asleep, barely waking when Nick got onto the other side an snuggled against me, Reece against the couch near my legs. Nothing sexual any more, this was just the regular pack thing, Jeremy now in on it without having a clue what we'd gotten up to earlier. He would have, if he'd have been cured, and I wondered how we'd explain it when everyone was back to normal. Or would we just pretend as if it wasn't a big deal?

Falling asleep again, I woke some hours later, Nick shaking me gently.

"Sorry, thought you might want to see this." He smiled, kissing my forehead, and I turned to the TV.

Something about a fire. Jeremy was gone, Reece was now the warm body on the other side, and it took me a few seconds to really get why Nick meant that. A fire in a warehouse. Chemicals. Miami outskirts or something.

"Elena?"

"Don't know. It might be a different one. Jeremy's gone to call her." Nick shrugged.

There was something briefly about the dog epidemic again, and about hysterical 'sympathy sickness' reported by psychologists over the past few days in dog owners, and then they went on about that for ten minutes. What to do if your dog was sick, who to see, what to do, and so on. An expert claiming it was nature's way of dealing with how America had too many homeless dogs or something. I wasn't sure what they were an expert of.

A car pulled up outside and I sat up straighter, yawning.

"What is it?" Nick lifted his head from the couch. "Breakfast? More sex?" I nearly snorted when I saw Reece's head lift slightly then. What had I done?

"A car. I'll check." I was the only one who was really dressed.

I went outside and the smell, coming straight at me from the open window, as the familiar man got out... It was impossible to resist, I practically ran for Antonio, much to his shock. "Antonio!" I jumped at him, hugging the big guy, and he laughed as he hugged me back tight. I didn't realise how much I'd missed him. "You're back. How is Lillian?"

"Lily is off the ventilator again and is getting better. She wanted me to come back, see Nick, and take some new photos." He smiled, a tired tense smile, but I doubted he'd be here if she wasn't improving. "How is your foot?"

"I can put weight on it again." And run, apparently, when I saw someone I'd missed! Antonio grinned at me, clearly happy to be here, squeezing me again before le lowered me back down. Nick grabbed him, the two hugging. "Nick."

"Is she okay?" Nick released his dad and stepped back, arm over me.

"Improving. They think she's over the worst of it." He breathed in and out slowly, eyes shut. "Jer said Elena's going after the mutt with the cure now. I thought I should be here. Babies up yet?"

I glanced at Nick's watch. "If they're on time, the toddlers will be more or less be awake within the hour. The twins could wake any second, we don't know, they slept through for the first time."

"Congratulations." He smiled and glanced up as it started to rain again. "We better go inside."

We headed in, Jeremy not looking surprised at all to see Antonio, already cooking in the kitchen.

I heard the twins, heard them crying, as if they'd heard us. Not likely but I headed up anyway.

Or I was going to. A car pulled up outside.

Jeremy blinked as we saw someone get out that we'd never expected to see here. "Is that..."

It was Rose. Demetruis's mother.

"I'll wake Jamie and we'll make sure the twins are okay. You go deal with that. All three of you." Jeremy's eyes went from me, to Nick, to Antonio. This was a family problem.

We nodded and I led the way back outside as she slid out of the expensive car, body guards already waiting, their eyes hidden under the dark glasses.

"I have come to talk." She said, as she stood there, the body guards on either side of her. Rose was tiny, maybe five feet tall, but she was radiating power. Confidence. No wonder why she'd bugged Clayton. "Hello, Nicholas."

"We don't want your words." Nick narrowed his eyes, arms tightening around Rose, and she gazed at him. Whatever points she'd won with him while he was her grandson's captive, they were gone now, probably imploded all over the place when she refused to give the twins back.

"To explain then. No custody battle. I will talk, then you can speak back or ask me to leave. I will not take your children. I have only come to apologise and explain my behaviour. It was ... hasty."

Antonio's hand brushed across my arm, moving to my other side, his calm energy calming me down as well. I breathed out slowly, releasing the anger in me, and saw Nick relax somewhat too.

"Come in, explain, and then leave." Antonio was calm, voice soft, but there was a hint of a threat there. One I'd never heard from him before. "But only on the understanding that you're not leaving with my grandson or my granddaughter."

"I understand that." Rose nodded. She followed him inside, only one of her body guards with her, and we sat down in the kitchen.

I got tea while she sat there quietly, trying to not look around, Nick helping while Antonio waited patiently. She started talking before I finished.

"I come to apologise. This was not what my family was like."

"Your family?"

"One of the four powerful Cabal families. This was not how it was when I was young. We made mistakes and now your family pays for each one." She looked down at her ring.

"No, your husband's the heir." Antonio said, softly, that tense threat back. "We were informed."

"No, it is not my husband that is the family. I am it." She met my eyes, a soft look, a tired look. Really tired. "I am not in possession of any skills. Neither is my husband. My father was one of the Cabal families, he ran it, but when the depression came, it hurt our family very badly. For a number of years we struggled to pretend nothing had changed when we were becoming closer to ruin. But they had my younger brother and believed he would save us."

I didn't speak, just put the food out for her and the tea, and she served herself before I could offer to do it for her. She was a stubborn old woman, I could see that closer up, maybe even hot tempered.

"You must excuse me. A life time of people doing things for me has me now determined to do them for myself as long as I can. But back to the story. My little brother was, as the world calls it now, not safe. Mentally ill. He would hurt others and laugh and then he would lock himself away for days and cry." She spoke so calmly, as she sipped the tea, her eyes on the drink instead of on me. "My father believed it to be normal for a boy of his age to be ... temperamental. He viewed many of my brother's cruel sides as an assist to the family, believing he would save our family from the ruin it was falling into. It was too much pressure and he threw himself off a bridge when he turned eighteen. I was only seven. And so suddenly, my family, one of the last great Cabal families, suddenly had no son, no sorcerer, and were about to be bankrupt. Something had to be done."

Rose didn't speak for a while, just twisted the ring on her finger, some antique thing I had to guess that looked like it had been around a very long time. Then she spoke, "And so they broke the first rule we must never break, may have even been the ones responsible for our exposure to this government. They sought out my husband's family. One of the richest in America, selling medicine and creating new medicines, and exposed themselves to my husband's parents. They offered to adopt him and make him one of the most powerful men in the sorcerer world. I would be adopted by my husband's family. My father would use his magic to make my husband look as if he was their son. He was the same age as my brother, sixteen, and no one would be wiser for it. Both families would gain- they would have knowledge of magic and would be allowed to study it from us, in secret, and we would have a heir again and financial security off profits made from the research. I was married to him at thirteen when he was twenty three."

I breathed out slowly there, shutting my eyes, unable to picture that.

"Yes, today this is shocking. It was not so unusual then. I looked a few years older and it went without a problem. My new husband was not patient, he was used to having whatever he wanted, and this now included his wife. I had my first child a year later. I had six sons, one who was still born, and one daughter who died as a baby. He was jealous of our sons. They were sorcerers, like their grandfather, and he would hit them often if they showed signs of it." She tightened her lips. "If I defended them, he would beat me instead, which upset my children, so I tried to stay quiet and keep them quiet. Then they started to die. Accidents, it was always called, but it never seemed right. Demetruis had many close calls. Saw his younger brother die in front of his eyes, and saw my father killed in a similar way, and was never able to believe it was an accident. Out of all of my children, he alone survived, and brought me home two grandsons. I had never been happier to see any baby in my life."

She smiled, weakly, and I saw it. Grief. "My last son and his sons. My husband got so sick that his brain was damaged and I took over the family. This is a role I waited a very long time to take and I had much to prove. Women still are not seen as powerful. This is changing, now, but it was a different world. I had to focus on that and less on my son and his children. Years vanished. Then, I hear that my grand son has started experiments, and my son tells me that these will change the world for the better. So I do not worry. I trust Demetruis. I then hear that girls have been hurt and that my grand son has been arrested. You do not know how angry I was with you for what you did to him, until I went to court and heard what he had done for myself, and now ... Demetruis assured me had had no idea, and was apart of arresting his sons. He disowned them. He was a good boy. He was always a good man. But his sons hurt him terribly. It brought on the madness I saw in my older brother. At first I pretended I did not see it, at first I believed he was grieving, but then he grew worse. I heard rumours."

Rose went quiet again, shutting her eyes, pain across her face for a moment. "It was the right thing, to disown his sons, for Demetruis to do. And yet I had only Demetruis again. No grand children. It broke our hearts to find out how they behaved. To find out that they were copies of their grandfather, my husband, right down to their tastes in women. It was the right thing to do, to disown them, to remove the temptation. When he told me that you had agreed to have his child, I felt some happiness again, I felt some hope. A woman werewolf, changing the male world, bringing me children? I did not know he forced you to agree. I did not want to believe that he really had started to get sick as his uncle had. Demetruis is my _last_ son. He cares for me so well. Loves me. I cannot believe he is ever like his father or his uncle. I could _not_ believe it. Not even when he was arrested. I _couldn't_ give you those children back. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't give up the last children I have in this world."

I shut my eyes now, breathing out. I had to admit it. I felt for her now, I really did, if all but Dominic or Reece died, and then they ... I wouldn't know how I'd do it. I'd rather super glue them to me than give them up.

"You are a mother now. You _know_ how strong our love goes. We love them, we raise them, and then my son and his sons do terrible things and I must face it. I have lost all my sons. My husband lies there, but his mind is gone, and I have no family now. The last two innocent faces in my world... how could I give them up too? I am sorry for not giving them to you. I know you are their mother. I just ask that you please, don't cut me out too, let them have a grandmother. I know you two will be their parents. Not my son. I would not allow it after finding out how he brought them into the world."

"I won't cut you out." I said it, quietly, Nick's hand tightening on my hand.

"You sure?" Antonio said, softly from beside me. "You would let them stay with her?"

"No. I can't be sure they're safe yet. There's a lot of problems out there. A group that want to create a war using them as soldiers. I need to be sure that they are safe at all times." I added, as my eyes met her eyes, now teary. "I can't let them stay over with you yet. Not yet. They have to stay here with their pack. Everyone here will protect them."

She nodded sadly. "I understand. All I ask is that I am known to them. That I see them. I have only these children left in the world. I love Deme, I love him with every fibre, that will never change. But I cannot allow him to harm my grand children. I will do anything to protect them."

It was a bit cold, some small voice in me warned, but I shrugged it off. Nodded. She stood up, reaching for a small square of fabric.

"I will contact you soon about visits. Please, if you are in need of anything, you can call me. I am able to do much. Pull strings."

"Can you get the treatment for us? Or point us in the direction of who's taken over?" I asked before I could stop myself. Any assistance with this, while Clayton and Elena were struggling, following ghosts, and leads and shit all over the entire damn country, any assistance was welcome. Even Lucas' father had nothing new for us.

"Or in the direction of Demetruis himself." Antonio added, standing also. "If he has become mentally ill, as you say, he may be safer in custody."

Rose nodded slowly. "I will look into it. I have contacts that will know more. I will attempt to get you all the treatment while I find out more about it, without any addictive additions. The last thing I need is for the protectors of my grand son to be weakened."

We watched her go, Jeremy coming down with one baby in arms as he watched her leave, and I sighed, relaxing, leaning against Nick.

Somehow, even though I'd more or less empathised with what she'd gone through, I felt uneasy. Maybe this was to be expected with her family history.

Nick kissed my head, glancing over to Jeremy and Rose in his arms, muttering something about how Reece and Rose now needed nicknames so it was less confusing for him. Maybe he was right.

"I think you're right. They need middle names." I agreed, Nick blinking as if he hadn't actually experted me to agree, but … somehow, it bothered me that Rose had her grandmother's name. Or a name that matched anyone from that family. And Reece was going to get confusing. "I suppose I was in a hurry. I thought I'd never see them again."

"Can I name them?" Nick asked, quietly, his eyes meeting mine.

I nodded and he snuggled the baby against him, gentle, kissing the tiny ear there as he gazed down at her. It was another way he could lay claim to them, I realised, another way he could make them _his_.

Jamie came down with Reece, glancing around at us. "Did it go okay?" She asked. I wondered how much she'd slept, the shadows under her eyes suggesting maybe not so much as she should have. Jeremy brushed past her, hand running along her back, as she offered the little boy to me and I took him, love flooding through me as he yawned up at me.

"It went fine. Jamie, can we as-" Nick started, but Jeremy shook his head.

"Let her have some more sleep first, Nick."

"I'm not sure if I'll get back to sleep." Jamie said but she yawned and let him lead her back upstairs anyway.

Reece caught my eye, from the doorway, and I went across to the little porta-crib in the living room so that I could talk to big Reece. My lips twitched at that title. I followed him into the backyard.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just … can I come sleep with you guys tonight?" He grinned sheepishly, awkward, reaching out for my hand.. "I ...haven't slept like that for a long time. Without nightmares. I'm going back to New York tomorrow so..."

Complicated. Yep. I was right about that. Nick came out then, and Reece repeated the question, making Nick look as amused as I was anxious.

"Yeah, of course." He reached out for my hand, drawing me against him, nuzzling against my neck. "Work?"

Reece nodded. I leaned against Nick, shutting my eyes, aware that this 'threesome' thing might take some time for us to get into a routine with.

"You don't have to do anything with me tonight. I'd just like to be around you two. Before I go back."

"You don't want to?" Nick asked, softly, and I opened one eye. I'd never seen Reece like this, awkward, unsure of himself, he was always cocky, confidant, and sometimes a bit stupid. Now he seemed to have no clue what to do with himself.

"I'm happy to do anything. Just putting that out there. Come here." Reece moved over, wrapping his arms around me, nuzzling against my neck as Nick relaxed.

We separated when Antonio came out, pretending as if we'd been doing nothing, though I had this vague sense that he'd caught sight of something. He looked a bit puzzled and asked me if I was all right. When I nodded, he blinked, tried to shrug it off, and I wondered if we were planning on keeping this secret or not. It wasn't really anyone's business but... it was another thing I hadn't thought of before.

The day passed, inching by, with Jamie remaining upstairs with Jeremy 'sleeping'. We played games with the kids, cleaned, fed, cleaned, cleaned a little more, chased the kids down and made the toddlers change several times, then cleaned their arms, faces and hair, changed diaper in breaks between each of these things, and I had to admit I was glad Antonio had showed up right now. Reece was better with the older kids, he took them out for 'crocodile hunting', so the three of us could concentrate on the little ones.

Elena and Clayton, apparently were in another state now. Again, no word to us what state, and again, I wish I knew so I could ...follow. Or something. I could follow without stealing their glory, couldn't I? All I knew was that Demetruis was leading them around all over the place. Someone had given the mad man a credit card and he was using it.

I crawled into bed ahead of the other two, shutting my eyes, still damp from the shower. This time, with the warning Reece had given us, I'd thought to shave. He didn't seem to care earlier, okay, but I was still self-concious about this 'arrangement'.

Reece beat Nick to it- Nick was still struggling with the triplets- and crawled in beside me. The twins were asleep nearby and he glanced at them, suddenly concerned.

"They're not going to be traumatised by seeing you snuggle me." I muttered. "Come here."

"If I don't want just a snuggle?" He glanced down at me, crawling into bed in his boxers anyway, making sure he went on the side I gestured to. The side Nick _didn't_ sleep on.

"Then keep quiet and don't wake them. You don't want just snuggles?"

"Do you?"

I laughed then, sudden, covering my mouth at his face. We were behaving like a couple of silly teenagers, who weren't sure if the other wanted or liked kisses or cuddles or ...other things... bumbling and messing up all over the place. He grinned, relaxing, flopping down against my side under the sheets.

"How about we wait for Nick and try to not fall asleep." I yawned, shutting my eyes, curling up on my side.

Nick woke me an hour later, Reece asleep against my side, kissing my neck gently as he gazed across me to Reece. "Like him?"

"You know I do." I muttered.

"Training him. He'll be one hell of a lover soon." He grinned at me, leaning over to push at Reece, tipping him off the bed. Reece swore, I grabbed at him, making sure he didn't crash to the ground and wake the twins.

"Shh." I hissed, Reece grinning as he re-balanced himself on the bed. Nick didn't think somet-

Wait, where were the twins?

"They're with Dad. He's struggling to sleep and wanted to be near them." Nick answered my question without me having any need to ask it. "Let me beat up Reece. Reece, what are you thinking?"

"Last night with you two. Could be a while. Weeks." He knelt there, already 'ready', and I felt a hand trace over me. "If Anne isn't too sore."

Apparently I wasn't. Within seconds, we were back where we'd left off that morning, muffled moans trying to keep it from the rest of the house- and probably failing miserably-, Nick whispering 'tips' to Reece as it went on. He lasted longer, did do better, and to my amusement when we'd all found a release under the sheets, skin slippery with sweat, the taste of them on my lips as they flopped, it was Nick who passed out first, like it had exhausted him.

I flopped onto my back, the ache back, Reece checking and frowning as he found that they'd re-started the bleeding.

"Oh, shut up." I muttered, as he opened his mouth. "I'm fine. Stop panicking over blood."

He grinned weakly, leaning down to brush the damp hair off my sweaty face, kissing lips already well and truly bruised from Nick. "You're the boss."

"Shh." Nick groaned, opening one eye, prodding at Reece's face. "Sleep time. Corrupt my wife another night with illusions of her being the boss." I elbowed him and he grinned, adding, "Kidding. You're the boss. Where's my pay?"

I kissed him, twisting over to curl so I faced him, Reece cuddling up to my back and his tickly legs curling my legs across. "There. Now shh. Sleep time."

Shutting my eyes, I let my body ease me down into the peaceful sleep that always came after being so loved, still somewhat in awe of the fact that I was currently being 'loved' by someone beside my husband. It was complicated, it was a problem, and I heard him lean up from behind to stare at me as he thought I was asleep.

"I have to go." Reece muttered, against my ear, so soft that I had to struggle to hear him even with my hearing. "I'm sorry. I'm confused. I ...don't know what I feel for you now. Fuck."

He shifted back, unaware of my heart suddenly racing, and I felt him slide out of the bed and leave the room, Reece's breathing a little faster all over again. Not with desire now. With something else.

Dismay and regret filled me, as he shut the door, and I opened my eyes to see his shadow fade down the hallway. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This was what I was afraid of. Open the door to sex, affection, the deepest levels of intimacy and trust... and it opened up a lot of other things too. Maybe things that had been ignored. It wasn't that sex 'made you fall in love'. It was that it made you open up things that might have already been buried or confuse you.

I sat up, sleep gone from my mind, and sat there in the dark, hands clenched hard on the sheets, still tasting Reece's mouth against mine. Shit. _Now_ _what did I do?_ There was no guidebook for this.


	22. Calm

_A quick one- been helping a friend who's sick :) _

_I am on wattpad now as Corinder! You don't have to follow me there but I loved being able to create a cover for my 'books' and to add music for each chapter! So feel free to take a peek if you're curious- I'm working on getting it uploaded there now, and trying to get music for each chapter. :D_

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><p><em>This<em> was what had worried me. I sat there, head in hands, horror at what he'd said.

"Well, aren't you going after him?" Nick's voice made me jump. He was wide awake too, shifting up, flipping the light on. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"He said he's in love with me." I said, the pain of this news hurting far more than I expected, because I loved Reece. Not like Nick, sure, but I loved him and the last thing I wanted to do to him was confuse or hurt him.

"Yeah, and you love him. So go drag him back and go to sleep." He blinked sleepily at me, the words confusing me now, and I stared at Nick. Tried to see some sort of teasing, or humour, something to show that he was teasing and that I could be angry with him for this. Nothing. Just his serious, if slightly confused and sleepy, expression.

"That's not funny, Nick. I love you. Reece is different, he's something else to me, and you... you're my mate. This isn't funny. This isn't a game." I snapped. I wanted to be angry with Nick. It had been his idea. "Fuck, Nick."

"Calm down." Nick reached for me, stroking my back gently, sliding closer. "It's not that bad. I knew you love him. You think I'd have wanted anyone else to share you with? Pressure you to be with someone you didn't care about? Go get him, tell him it's fine, and make him come back here." He yawned, flopped back, and shut his eyes. He was acting like it wasn't a problem at all that Reece was confused. What was wrong with him? Did he think I just married him to get laid?

"Fuck, Nick. I married you. I love _you_. Remember? You're my husband. That's a serious commitment, it's not … it's not like two pairs of socks. Fuck. What was I thinking, letting you get me to do this! I told you. _Complicated_." I pushed his hands away, so angry with him, sliding out of bed and pulling something on. I went out as he tried to call me back, ignoring Reece's door, too ashamed to look him in the face. The two most important me to me, and now one was upset. Hurt. Maybe not able to be near me again.

I ran right into Antonio, who was downstairs, nearly tipping his hot coffee over the two of us in the process.

"You're supposed to be sleeping." He blinked at me. He looked strained, tired, stressed, and more than he had earlier.

"_Nick_." I muttered, scowled, and I saw his lips twitch. "The twins down here?"

"All right. Come watch a movie with me. He'll fall asleep eventually. The twins are asleep in the study, very happy, very full tummies." I didn't argue, let him lead me into the living room, an arm over my shoulder as he drank the strong drink.

We sat there a while before I asked the obvious question. "Why... aren't you in bed?"

He shut his eyes a moment, took another drink of his coffee, then his eyes met mine. There it was, something really wrong, and he reached out to squeeze my shoulder. "She's back on the ventilator. She has a fever. I...I'm waiting for news." He glanced at the phone on the coffee table.

"Is it bad?"

Antonio nodded.

"Then you should go. Now." I muttered. "I'm awake. Twins are good. Get the hell out of here."

Antontio smiled somewhat, I saw his shoulders slump. "I don't have to..."

"If you don't, I'll wake Jeremy and make him take you." I threatened. I wasn't sure if Jeremy would actually do that, if he'd really drag him to the airport, but I'd _nag_ till he did. The last thing I wanted, after tonight's fuck up, was for Antonio to not be there for Lillian while she struggled in hospital. The only thing good about a hospital was getting out of it.

"All right. I'll get onto booking a flight. Don't wake anyone." He only picked the phone up when I nodded. "Wasn't Reece going back tomorrow?"

I wanted to say no. No. I was tying him up till we sorted this out. I did not want him to go now. Instead, I just nodded, my nod a little jerkier now. I went for the kitchen while he went upstairs, went for the stash of chocolate I'd hidden in a container amongst all the premade meals that had been rescued and dug right in.

Nick came down, yawning, and reached for me. I grumbled, turning, and he just held on harder. The fact that he wasn't stealing my chocolate showed he wasn't trying to bug me, at least not competely, but I was still upset that Reece was upset, and that now I was upset, and that this was all ...I didn't know. Sometimes I thought Nick didn't always think things through.

"Liz..."

"Shut up." I muttered. Ate chocolate. Was this what a break up felt like? I had this sudden urge to go for ice cream. "Or bring me ice cream."

He watched me for a few seconds more, smile fading, that frown line returning. Nick opened his mouth to say something, only to be cut off as Antonio and Reece came back down the stairs, both with packed bags, keys in Antonio's hand.

"Dad?"

Antonio glanced up, a little guilty, but tried a reassuring smile. "We're going in now."

"Is it Lillian?" Nick's hand tightened on my shoulder when Antonio nodded.

"There's four adults. Three toddlers. We'll come."

"Nick, we can't just..."The chaos that'd come with this. Matt, he'd cope, but interrupting the sleep of three three year olds?

"First thing in the morning, Nick. The last thing you want to bring into Lillian's room are three tired toddlers." Antonio crossed the room in a few strides, hand on Nick's shoulder, the other finding mine. "Do you want us to wait?"

I suddenly realised Nick was right. Shit. If we waited, Antonio waited, because you needed one adult per child. Shutting my eyes, I felt the words come out, "No, Nick's right. We'll just have to deal with it."

I felt Nick's brush against my side as I stood up, thankful, an arm slipping around my waist. I was still upset with him, of course, and I saw Reece wasn't meeting my eyes, but first thing was Nick's mother.

Antonio let it go too. "All right."

"How long till the plane goes?"

"You've got around ten minutes to get them dressed, packed, wake Jeremy, and the car seats in. I'll wake Jeremy." Antonio dropped his suitcase and headed upstairs.

"I'll put the stuff in the car and the seats in." Reece picked up Antonio's case and headed away.

The two of us got to work with the rest of it, Matt waking and accepting it without a complaint. He yawned, went back to sleep in his bed, muttering something about wanting a huge tent from New York while I was there. I guessed he meant one of those marquee tents, I wasn't sure, I wasn't sure why he'd even want one.

Jeremy was up now, helping Nick dress the sleepy and confused toddlers, and I packed a bag for the three of them as best I could. Whatever I forgot we'd have to buy, they were more upset about leaving toys behind than clothing, and I wanted to keep them as calm as possible till we got to the other end. Leave the pram behind- they could walk and if not, they'd have to be carried. Antonio helped me as Nick vanished into our bedroom to get our own things, but only for a second, before he muttered something about getting Nicky to hurry up- Nick was _not_ a fast packer.

Somehow we did it though. Three toddlers, Matt informed and happy, and then...

I remembered I was supposed to be guarding Kate and Logan.

_Shit._

"What?" Nick was halfway into the car when he saw me freeze.

"I have to stay and guard the twins. Remember?"

Nick scowled. He'd forgotten all about this. Antonio glanced at Nick and Reece, then to me. "There's three of us. Enough for the toddlers on the plane. You don't have to come right now. When they call again, Clayton and Elena, let them know and see what Elena says."

It made sense but I wished I could be there for Nick. He came over, we said quick tense goodbyes- I was still angry with Nick for not thinking- and Reece muttering something similar from the back seat, and I watched them take off into the night with the three already asleep babies. I just hoped she was fine.

Jeremy seemed surprised to see me, yawning as he got a drink of juice, and when I reminded him he blinked a few times. "Ah. I forgot about that."

"I suppose we better not tell Clayton we forgot."

"Probably wise." He smiled somewhat, poured me a juice as well, adding, "But at least you get a holiday."

"Holiday?"

"Only twin babies."

I blinked. Smiled. Jeremy was right. Oh my god, I only had twins with me. Twins. BABY twins, who weren't able to crawl yet, and who wouldn't have to be constantly watched, listened to, chased, wiped, changed, washed, bathed, naughty-stepped, chased, bathed...

Okay, it may only be till morning, but this wasn't going to dampen my spirits. "I might get to read a book!" I exclaimed. "Or paint. Oh my god, Jeremy, I might get to _paint_."

He laughed, nodded, and we went back upstairs so we could get sleep. Jeremy brought them back into my room and I crawled into bed, still upset about Reece being upset, but too tired to focus on it Instead I focused on the fact that I might have time to paint tomorrow. _That_ cheered me up.

I lay there in bed, the scents of Reece and Nick still strong in my nostrils, trying to relax into a sleep. I was tired, I really was, but I wasn't falling asleep no matter how hard I tried. I missed Nick already. God, how pathetic did that sound? But it was true.

The only way I managed was to put one of Nick's shirts on a pillow beside me, stick another one lower down, both of them mimicking Nick's presence. It didn't really fool my instincts but they two choices- either accept this and let me sleep or keep up the insomnia.

Painting didn't happen. It was the last thing on my mind the next day, even with the 'holiday', I just waited. Waited for Elena and Clayton to call. Waited for Nick or Antonio or Reece to call. Nothing all morning, nothing at all, except for the tenseness and anxiety building up in my own head. It was like once Nick had this immense stress, once he was there, he was back to cutting himself off from me for a while. I wasn't sure how much more distance he'd put between us if it got really bad. And I wished I hadn't gotten angry at him. He'd made it clear that I was equally calling the shots, as far as whether it'd happened or not, and I could have probably made up 'rules' too.

I explored with the twins in the forest, Logan, Kate and Matt leading us around, but Matt would glance at me everytime I looked at the phone and wait. He was old enough to know when something was going on and, even if he didn't count Nick and myself as 'parents', Nick had been more of a father to him than any other man. Maybe he had counted as a parent. I didn't know. We wandered around in the bush for half an hour, the phone checked every few minutes, till they got bored and headed back for the house ahead of me.

Elena called as we were coming in, I was pushing the 'all terain' stroller thing into a space in the laundry so the muddly wheels didn't cause more mess than we already had, Jeremy carrying both twins into the living room for a feed, change and play.

Logan and Kate stole the phone for half an hour, vanishing, only returning it after Elena probably threatened them with additional grounding. Jeremy spoke briefly with her as I washed up lunch and cleaned the renewed mess in the kitchen, glancing at me as he did, and motioning to me to follow him quietly.

Wiping my hands on my jeans, I nodded, made sure the twins were more or less safe and happy in their 'play jungle' thing, and we headed into the living room.

"Where are the kids?" He asked softly.

I listened, concentrating for the sounds of them, hearing them outside in the backyard, something about building a mud city. "Outside. Might need to hose them off."

He didn't smile at my joke, just turned the tv on as low as he could, the phone still in his hand. "What channel?" Jeremy asked Elena, her voice returning, and he flipped channels.

It was the same 'Epidemic' drama, panic, tips, all of that hysteria that I had gotten used to seeing in American news. Only now, there were no images of cute fluffy dogs, there was only this image of a hospital. I didn't know what state it was- the only 'shortcut name' I knew for a state was NY for New York.

Jeremy frowned at it as he listened, Elena quiet, and I tried to get what was going on. He didn't answer when I asked.

"Sixteen more deaths have been reported in Seattle of this disease. The government has yet to release a statement but scientists have reported that the disease appears to be a mutated version of the canine fever."

"Bloody hell! Sixteen de..." No, more than that, this was 'more deaths', not 'total'. It didn't take long for the news to tell us the total. _Seventy eight deaths_ suspected to be related to this 'canine fever'. In Seattle and surrounding areas, not in America. I swore again, softly, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Shh, Anne." Jeremy's eyes went in the direction of the backyard. He didn't want the kids to know yet.

I flopped down, feeling a bit stunned as I watched the news, the number echoing around my head. This was today. That many deaths today in one state.

Wait, where was Seattle? I wasn't sure and when I asked Jeremy, he muttered something about Washington. Was that near us or not? I had no clue.

Jeremy sat beside me as he spoke to Elena softly. There'd apparently been a trail leading to Seattle. She and Clayton were already booked on a flight there- she'd call us when she arrived. I suddenly had doubts about this idea- if they cut off Washington somehow, would they be stuck?

Before I could ask she was gone, getting on a flight, and I shut my mouth.

"Jeremy, what does this mean?"

"I'm going to call Lucas and find out." He replied, calm as ever, but there was that tenseness back. "Then Jamie. She's in town. She may hear rumours while she's there. We'll wait before we tell the kids."

I nodded as he left, sitting there, staring at the TV. At least there'd been no reported cases of this outside Washington. The news anchor was pretty clear about this and for people to not panic. It was like the swine flu panic, or the anthrax panic, I hoped. If those deaths were today then they wouldn't have even had time to do an autopsy, led alone know for certain, so whoever those scientists were... they would be jumping the gun a bit.

Suddenly I remembered I'd been waiting to ask Elena about whether I could go to New York or not. Damn.

Finally, when I couldn't wait for them any more, I called Nick myself. This time he did answer and he spoke briefly. Lillian was back in intensive care, back on a ventilator, Nick wasn't allowed in and the doctor said there was nothing they could do but wait and see. Wait and see? Easier said than done.

"God, I'm sorry I'm not there." I flopped into a chair, feeling awful, knowing from the tenseness in his voice how this was affecting him. Not only was she sick again, her heart back to square one, but now Nick had to stay out of the room.

"I'm at home with the triplets. Daniella's here to help. Dad's with Lillian, and if anyone's ...going to help her, it's going to be him." He went quiet a while and I didn't speak, just clutched the phone hard, wishing it was him I was hanging onto. Wishing I could cuddle him, or cook him something, or just be around him. After a while he sighed, a long deep sign, and spoke again. "It's okay. Like you said once. Hospitals are made to keep people alive and get better. You've got a bigger problem."

I blinked. "What?

"Reece is there. You need to speak to him." He surprised me with that.

"What about his job?"

"I quit it for him."

If there'd been an answer I'd been expecting... this would not have been it. "Wait, what?"

"Liz, I knew what kind of relationship you had with him before I encouraged you two … so, you're right. That's why it was okay with me. He wouldn't hurt you. I can trust him with you. So repair it for me." I felt it, heard the smile under his voice, but he didn't sound much happier. A grimace? "I love you. Fuck, I really do. I'd do anything to make you happy. Now, go talk to him and bring him back to Stonehaven. Tell him he's fired."

"Nick, he's ..."

"At Forestwatch." Nick cut me off. There was more of a smile now, even if it was tense, I could hear it in his voice. "He's at Forestwatch. I wasn't going to let him come when I knew how upset you were about him. Trust me. I love you, Liz. You can trust me. Now go get him. I'm coping here." Nick hung up before I could ask. Calling to Jeremy about this, I hurried off for the small building though the forest

Forestwatch? What the hell had he done? I wasn't sure but ...this gave me a really bad feeling. The kind of 'that man deserves to be hit' feeling he provoked when he'd done something _really dumb_ Jeremy nodded when I said I was going to check it from the outside and get some new toys- he just went back to the TV, waiting for confirmation from Lucas that this 'canine fever' was related to us.

I made my way through the forest at a slow jog, along the path that was really starting to wear down now, and hesitated at the border. The last time we'd been here... I didn't even want to think about that. If I did, I'd freak out, and I'd never want to cross this border. So I swallowed it all, fear, shoving it away as far as I could so I could last the walk. The walk, that usually seemed so fast, it became tense, stressed, and I grew more angry at Nick without really knowing why. Again the land was quiet, tense, like nothing was happening.

Quiet was wrong. There was nothing in this forest. No animals, no birds, except for... I noticed with a thrill of fear... a pair of sleeping owls. In a tree near the house. One opened its eye as I hurried past, trying to ignore the urge to turn around and go straight back. There was breathing in the den. Deep breathing, faster than usual, and odd sounds like grunts. Was that it again? In my house? In my den?

It was a monster. Not the kind I was expecting. Reece sat there, arms bound up, face red as he stared at me. Oh, fucking hell, how long had Nick left him bound up like this?

I tugged the gag off.

"I need to pee, Anne, get this off me." He stood up as soon as I'd untied it and hurried for the bathroom, me right behind, Reece hesitating as he stared at the door of the bathroom.

"Go. I'm right here." I muttered. He glanced back, nodded, and slipped inside. It was absurd that anyone should be afraid in this place.

When he was done, he came out, back to avoiding my eyes. I grabbed his arm, tugging him close again.

"We need to talk."

"I'm tired. Your mate just left me tied up all night and day in the fricken den. We'll talk later." Reece added, quietly, "Give me a chance to think, okay?" He was heading away for the front door ahead. Not even waiting for me to answer.

"Reece, come here." I growled, and when he refused to, I pounced, dragging him to the ground, pulling his legs till I could crawl up high enough to pin him under me.

"Anne, please. Just let me ..."

"Stop behaving like this." I snapped, Reece froze, staring up at me. "Nick's my world, my mate, in the terms of heights, he's right up there above the universe. I love him."

"Anne..."

I covered his mouth, not willing to let him stop me till I was done. "And you. You're not my mate, you and I both know it, but you're still somewhere in me that no one's going to get again. Stop it. I love you as well. Maybe we'd never marry, probably not, but I would have dated you in a second if I'd met you before Nick. You're gorgeous. I love you, I love having sex with you, and I did love Nick's idea. But I wouldn't have married you."

"I would have dated you too." He said it, soft, when I finally let go of his mouth. Reece sat up slowly, my body sliding back into his lap, his head flopping against my shoulder. "I ...don't think I'd marry you either. I was confused though. I wasn't sure if this meant I was off the market or ..."

It should have hurt. It didn't. It was a _relief_.

"And for the record, I love you back." He added, softer, arms tightening around me. "I just ...was confused. You didn't have to worry. I was confused, that Nick would get us to go to this level, as if he didn't know how this friendship was."

"He knew." I muttered. Reece's head went back fast and he stared at me. "That's why he decided he could trust you. He knew exactly what we feel for each other."

"Bloody hell." Reece swore. "I'm going to kick him."

"Reece." I grasped his face, gently, stroking it. "I mean it. You're my best friend. I trust you as much as I trust Nick. You don't have to do anything to prove that I can trust you. I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't cared about you."

"Or you. I wouldn't have bothered." Reece's tenseness was fading somewhat and he leaned closer, our foreheads touching, breathing in and out slowly against my nose. "So this isn't true love?"

"It's true love all right, just not the kind that involves white dresses, soul mates or too many babies coming whether we want them or not. You've still got all that joy coming." I muttered. He laughed. "I still liked it. Being close to you like that, when Nick was happy, letting the two of you... be close to me like that. While you're unattached and we're hurting no one. I just didn't want you to be hurt."

"I liked it too. Can we keep it up?" He suggested, softly, a hand stroking down my arm. "With Nick's permission, of course."

"Of course. If you want to. Or we could go back to how it was."

Reece shook his head, pulled back, and fixed me with a look. "You think I can spend five minutes around you two without my head tormenting me with those memories and wanting to drag you _both_ into a closet? No fucking way. I'm having trouble not ripping your clothing off here or kissing you silly till dinner time. Nick's a _bad_ influence."

"What about when you find your mate?"

"You could join us?" He grinned, the tension and stress fading now, and nudged my shoulder. "Or we could let it go. Or something. I don't know. Let's deal with that when she comes home."

I suspected he still was waiting for Daniella, sighed softly, but didn't correct him. Instead we sat there, legs and arms around each other. "I really did like ...it. With you. Now I have to sit there with you and Nick, with others around, and fight the urge to kiss both of you. It's driving me crazy."

Reece laughed, hugged me harder against him, his face burying into my neck. "Same. Except for the kiss Nick part, you're welcome to that part. I'm sorry."

"For being confused?" He nodded against my neck. I jabbed him in the stomach gently. "We're trying to turn two mates into two mates plus best-mate. Who said that wasn't' going to be confusing? Wait till Clayton gets home and smells you all over me. THEN you're going to miss being confused."

Reece tensed suddenly. "Ah, shit, I forgot about that part. He's going to be stalking me all over the house trying to figure it out."

"We'll tell him you're trying on my clothing." I breathed out, slowly. "Okay. So how about this is the agreement. You join us when Nick wants, you don't have to stop dating others, we're best friends who occasionally play lovers with Nick, Australian mates ...or something... and when you find someone you're serious with, we stop." I didn't have to tell him to not cheat on her. Reece wasn't the kind of guy who _would_. "But we still kiss. Nick kisses Elena all the fricken time, Reece, and half the time it's a serious one. You _don't_ need to hold back."

He reached up, hands cupping my face, lips tentatively finding mine. Reece's mouth was trembling, I felt it, and his hands. It took him a long time before he'd had enough of this, this slow tender kiss, his hands tangled in my hair and around my head.

Finally Reece pulled back, grinned, and nodded. "I guess by serious... how many dates is serious?"

"I don't know. Nick was the first guy I dated, and asking him isn't a good idea, he never went on more than one.." I made a wry smile, Reece laughed, and he nodded. "Ask the woman. It probably varies from woman to woman."

"It's a deal. Should we tell Nick?"

I held up the phone and he took it, free arm draped around my shoulders and pulling me against his chest. I slid up close, relieved, shutting my eyes as I could again be near 'My Aussie mate'. Or something like that, anyway. We'd probably come up with a better term for it.

"Nick? We're now lovers, I'm Anne's mistress now, so your plan has succeeded and we're going to break up when I get a serious girlfriend. Also, fuck you for leaving me here like that. I almost pissed my pants. Next time I see you..." He yelped as I elbowed him. "So yeah. Call us back. No answer." Reece glanced to me, then suddenly he was kissing me hard now, hands trying to pull my top apart, or off, as if he was trying both ways at once.

"We have to wait for Nick." I pushed at his hands, Reece flopped back, quite literally falling backwards and laying there on his back as I sat with my legs still flopped over his thighs. He rubbed his head as he gazed up at me, that smile returning.

Then Reece froze. "Shit, what about work?"

"Nick quit on your behalf."

Reece swore again, sitting up, grabbing the phone. This time it was Antonio he called. I didn't know he worked for Antonio, hadn't really asked, but it seemed like Antonio had expected him to call.

"I'll come in... I don't mind coming in tomorrow. Really. I'm sorry. Ni... yeah, exactly. That's exactly what he is. Thanks, Antonio." He sat up again as he spoke, untangling us both, standing and helping me up. "Anything you need here?"

Just my best friend. I shook my head, now that I had Reece, I had everything except Nick. He was going to love being tied up overnight in a scary house when he got back. "Just you. Come on."

Reece's face softened then, hand grabbing for mine, leading me out of the house a s fast as we could manage. Maybe I should have stuck around to make sure that nothing was missing, or to look for clues, or something but at the moment Forestwatch had this energy to it that I couldn't place. Even in the daylight it made my hackles rise, and the two sleeping owls sitting in a tree beside it did not make that feeling any better.

It was only when we'd crossed into Stonehaven's land that I felt my body ease. From the looks of Reece, it was the same thing, his shoulders visably slumped and he glanced back at the other plot of land for a moment.

I glanced back too, expecting to see … I didn't know. That thing? An alien? A monster? Owls? But it was the same old bush, same old trees, same old rotting log that we'd dragged up to both sides of the fence to make it easier to jump across it as a wolf, human or kid. Reece stood so close that our arms brushed.

"Something's going on in the world, huh." He muttered. We didn't move. We stood there, staring, and his gaze remained fixed on the bush we'd hurried through. It was like he was hoping to see some sort of obvious clue.

"You mean in there, or in general?"

"In general. In there too, I suppose, but … shit, Anne. You've got all these supernatural beings suddenly getting sick as all hell, suddenly the pack's got a sorcerer or witch here at any time, you and Nick are respawning the world three babies at a time, some powerful sorcerer family is going nuts at anything that moves and some other group trying to go nuts at anything that isn't on their side. Which is the whole world." Reece said it softly. "Think that thing's connected?"

"If it was some kind of spell to freak us out, sure." I stepped back, pulling Reece with me, and we turned to make our way quietly back to the house. Stonehaven really was some kind of haven. I felt better the closer I got to it, every time, even if Forestwatch had become the home I wanted to build. Stonehaven was home. No matter how much I tried to ignore that, it was always true, always the place the pack came back to.

Jeremy came out, giving me Rose as she started another 'change me!" cry, distinctive to my ears, and raised an eyebrow at Reece. "Where were you?"

"Nick tied him up and left him in Forestwatch. Overnight." I was not impressed.

"Did he/? I'll let Tonio know."

"He knew." Reece muttered, coming over to nuzzle at Rose as she fretted. "He showed Nick how to tie the knots perfectly."

"What the hell for?" I snapped. Antonio was always so calm, I assumed,and yet yesterday he'd threatened an old lady with a scary face and tied Reece up?

"He agreed with Nick. We had to make up." Reece scowled, Jeremy's eyes went up a moment, but he didn't look as surprised about this as I felt. "I'm going to go shower and change."

I did the Mama duties, the smelly one of them, and once I had Rose and Reece were happy again, entertaining themselves so easily, it made me wish I could be as easily entertained by a foot or a hand as they were. The world was getting clearer to them clearly.

We sat in the living room as 'big' Reece ate, little Reece and Rose played, and Jamie joined us as Reece got into enough food for six humans. She stared at him, though I knew she was doing her best not to, and I knew why. Like any werewolf, Reece was the worst to eat with, gobbling it all down. I wondered if he even chewed it any more than to break it up small enough to get past his throat. With the occasional burp, probably not. He was a pretty good looking guy but I'd have to remind him to not eat like this on a date. Women would go _running_. Somehow he miraculously managed to avoid covering himself in food, or maybe this was another 'instinct', because food on skin or clothing was food wasted. We did not waste food.

"Jamie, what's this?" Reece held up a drawing. A really good drawing of what we'd seen. Just seeing it on paper shocked me, made my heart race, skin get sweaty.

There was a long pause, as Jamie stared at it, her own eyes darting to an empty part of the room and then back to it. "Burn that paper." Jamie snatched it, snatched it so fast neither of us could react, and stood up, hurrying away. I smelt it. She was literally burning the paper in the sink.

"She's burning it." I told Reece, who looked as surprised as I felt.

Jamie came back after three or four minutes, sitting, her own face a little paler. "Sorry. That isn't something you want to draw. Or think about. Or speak to.. I don't know how you found out about it."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. I just got told to burn it by Kristof."

"Who?"

"Savannah's father, dead. Sorcerer." She replied, though Jamie looked distracted now, and a little taken back by whatever this dead person was telling her. "I know. I'm going. He doesn't usually appear like this... _Okay_." She stood up, speaking at the thin air, but then Jamie's eyes snapped to Reece and myself. "He wants to know where you saw it."

"Forestwatch, twice. Why?" I felt like I was one of the toddlers, suddenly full of questions about a big wide world I didn't get. Answering questions to a ghost I couldn't see wasn't helping much either. "Jamie, was it a spell?"

"Not exactly. It requires one but- Yes, I know." Another look shot at the blank air. "I've got to go talk to Jeremy about this. You'll have to make sure no one ever goes there, till I do, not for any reason." She stood up slowly, eyes darting to the empty place once more, and turned in a quick walk.

"What the hell was that 'bout?" Reece muttered. He dropped his second empty plate and went for the third. "Come here, Anne."

"Why?" I glanced up to Reece. He opened his arms.

"Because that thing I drew freaked me out and you're snuggly to cuddle. Like a teddy bear. So come here."

"I give the orders, remember?" But I stood up anyway. He was right, even the image gave me chills, and Jamie's reaction had not helped. I didn't cuddle against him though, I curled up on my side on the couch next to him, my head against one muscular thigh. He offered chicken, pushing it against my lips, grinning when I went for it... and then yanked it out of my reach. "Nope. Mine."

"Fine." I snatched the rest of the plate of chicken, scooting up. "Mine."

"I'm hungry, give that back." Reece twisted around, standing on the couch, towering over me as he tried to get it out of my hands. I curled around it, bent over it like it was my little stash, and started to stuff it into my face, blocking hands, squirming when those hands started to tickle sensitive sides instead. Hands that lingered over the sides of my breasts, apparently.

He had knelt behind me, hips grinding against mine, growling as I refused to let him touch the food. "Anne..."

"Mine. Grr. Stop humping in public. People will consider desexing you." A mock growl and bending over it so far that it almost brushed my chest did not ward him off. I was grabbed suddenly around the waist, lifted up, chicken falling all over the place as he yanked me backwards into his lap with the plate still clutched against my chest.

"Mine." Reece lay back, hand sneaking across breasts, pulling chicken off me and eating it. He grinned, apparently liking this. Eating food off me. I didn't know how we'd keep it secret like this. "My mistress and my chicken."

"No, you're _my_ mistress, and that's _my_ chicken. Give it back." I twisted around, chicken pieces falling between us, trying to grab them off him. We fought, just playfully pushing and hitting each other, teeth finding necks and arms and shoulders, ignoring Jeremy as he came in. Nothing we were doing was really that far from what we'd done before this, except that he'd been a little more gropey, and Jeremy didn't seem to notice or care if anything had changed. His attention was on the slices of cold chicken now all over the floor and couch.

"One of you are going to clean that up, I hope." He said softly, I glanced up from where I was sitting on top of Reece, flushing.

"I'm her Australian type mate, apparently, I guess I better do it." Reece slapped my behind, sitting up, snatching a slice of the cold chicken off the neckline. "Want some chicken, Jeremy?"

Jeremy raised an eyebrow and vanished again. Maybe he had noticed. I shoved at Reece.

"Stop being so grabby." I cleaned up chicken, throwing it onto the plate, shaking my head as he ate it anyway. "At least rinse it."

"Cold soggy chicken? Yuck." Reece scowled.

I left it to him now, not exactly hungry for fluff covered chicken like he was, and turned on the TV again. The news was, like before, hysterical. It wasn't just an epidemic now- it was a ' pandemic'. Dramatic sounding word. Six other states in America had reported some sort of similar case. I noticed that there were still no official scientists talking, not exactly, but the states were side by side. So it was either spreading or people were getting hysterical.

"What the hell?" Reece sat up and I realised I hadn't yet told him.

"Humans getting sick. They think it's from that canine disease."

He froze, stared at me. "The one that matches ours?"

I nodded and Reece sat up, paying real attention now, all trace of humour or relaxation long gone. When he gestured for me to come back over, I did so quietly, resting back on the now clean couch and lying back down.

Only for a second though. The babies again needed me, so I left him to it and went to them, feeding and changing them as best I could on my own, listening to the news in the background. It did sound dramatic. The problem was, after two years in A merica and having watched the news here, I knew everything sounded dramatic if it'd get them ratings. I couldn't ever figure out which was actually important and which was just garbage designed to hook people.

"How bad do you think it is?" I called, as I changed Rose.

"Looks pretty serious." Reece came out and cringed as the smell of nappy hit his nose. "Ergh."

"Hey, you're not the one with a canine nose." I reminded him, face even, though I had to agree. This was not a smell I could ever get used to, no matter how much dogs apparently liked it, I preferred these babies clean. "Can you change Reece?"

"You don't like my outfit?" He held out his arms, glancing down, then grinned and nodded. "Guess if you can handle that smell, I can."

We worked quietly, trying to not feel wretched as the babies cried, and like usual they both only calmed down when both weren't smelling like _that_. I lifted up a much happier Rose, her face still damp from tears, a smile breaking the real sorrow as she found herself all comfortable again. She was adorable, all chubby cheeked, her eyes this deep blue, hair curling around all over the place. She almost reminded me of Nick, somehow.

Reece lifted up his little godson, something I really had to get around to doing, and regarded him as mini-Reece stared back. "Looks nothing like me." He pretended to look upset but I knew he was still loving that a baby got named after him. "Can I train him to be Australian?"

"How will you do that?" I snuggled Rose against my shoulder.

"Regular vegemite, trips to Australia, you'll see." He grinned, mini-Reece mirrored it happily now that he wasn't stinking, and lowered him carefully into his arms. "Let's watch a movie."

I followed him into the living room, a baby in each of our arms, and we sat there watching Zombieland. That was, we watched it till the three big kids returned, and then suddenly we had to change it to City of Embers instead. This didn't worry anyone. I played with the babies as we watched, Reece as fascinated as I was, like these kids... however many times they made me change their nappies, however late many late nights, or feeds, or mess... I could never get enough of them.

Falling asleep against Reece's thigh, Rose on my chest, I only woke when the movie was over and the room was again quiet. Reece was asleep too, mini-Reece in his arms, the sound of plates and food consuming going on. Jeremy must have been feeding them dinner. I yawned, shut my eyes, and went back to sleep.

Jeremy woke us by taking the babies away, Jamie saying she'd take care of them while we had a meeting, and we both followed him into the study where he'd already put out several large and very loaded pizzas for us.

"You two can't go to Forestwatch anymore. No one can, until Jamie's cured." Jeremy said it softly, the door show now. "That's Matt too. You need to make sure he never goes."

"Okay. Why?" I had no arguments with him, I just ate and nodded, but I wasn't sure how we'd get Matt to not go there. Tell him to not go and he'd be all the more likely to go.

"The thing you saw. Jamie didn't tell me what it was. She couldn't even tell me how it was brought here." Jeremy frowned somewhat. "No one would tell her. Anne, Reece, neither of you are to go back. Do you understand? Not for any reasons."

"Is it that serious?" Reece asked softly, slice halfway up to his mouth. When Jeremy nodded, he nodded a fraction too, glancing sideways in my direction. "We're not going back."

"No, we're not." I had to agree. This wasn't an order, exactly, but it was pretty serious. After the way it'd made us feel... I hadn't wanted to go back anyway. "So we're staying here?"

"For now." Jeremy nodded, leaned back, and sighed. "I might ask you to pay board though."

"That's _fine_." I didn't want to depend on him. I didn't have to depend on him or anyone. "Did we do it? Make it ..."

"I don't think so. Jamie doesn't either. But she's only able to see ghosts at the moment, even then only barely, so she's more or less stuck."

That night, I lay there in bed alone, heart thudding, eyes shut. It felt like I couldn't shake that fear now. Not after seeing Reece's drawing, as strange as that seemed, like ...I didn't know. The hoot of an owl did not help. The door cracked open somewhat, I sat up, heart in throat as a dark shape came through it.

"It's me." Reece's voice said, very softly, and I felt him crawl into the bed on 'his' side. "Sorry. I'm a little freaked out. I called Nick- he said it was fine."

"Me too." I slid across into the middle as he settled in, more than happy for a cuddle right now, curling against the familiar scent. "Shit. What is it?"

"Don't even think about it." He growled. "Just … let's talk. Or something. I don't know. Something relaxing. Shit."

"My phone has multiplayer monopoly?" I offered. When he nodded in the dark, I slid across him to get it from the charger, and we curled up around the tiny screen as I turned it on.

For a long time we played, as the hours ticked by, neither of us relaxing all that much. Reece kept winning, somehow, and we ignored the phone as a message popped up. I just wanted to fall asleep. I didn't care who was messaging me... but somehow, monopoly was just not working for me.

Reece fell asleep just after one and I lay there, staring at the game, one of his arms across me as the tension in his face faded into that relaxed expression he apparently got while he was asleep. I closed it.

The message instantly popped up. Nick, texting me just before midnight. I opened it, some alert about some voice mail, and called it as I curled up against my best mate.

Nick's voice was odd. Strained. And, although he spoke clearly enough to be understood, the words were so unexpected, so out of the blue, I didn't understand it.

"To replay the message..."

Again. All my brain could do was hear noise, not words. Frustrated, I tried again, Reece lifting his head as I sat up and pressed the number for replay.

This time I heard it. And this time... I _felt_ it.

"I slept with Daniella. I'm leaving you."


	23. Loss

"Anne."

I sat there. Stared at the phone.

I slept with Daniella. I'm leaving you.

Now that the words had gotten into my brain, they were echoing around in there, over and over and over, taking over almost every part of my head. Leaving you. Slept with Daniella. Leaving you. Daniella. Leaving.

Someone really shook me, shook me so hard my head flopped around, and I blinked to see I was in Reece's lap. I wasn't even sure when this had happened. Sounds were coming out of my mouth, though nothing that could be seen as a word, and Reece stared at me like I'd gone nuts.

I'd never had anyone leave me. I didn't know what to do. The phone was still against my head, Reece couldn't get it off, he was trying to as hard as he could. I felt it crack and break, I was holding it so hard, felt it fall to pieces.

I didn't fall to pieces.

I got up, walked downstairs, hearing Reece follow right behind me. Ice cream. Spoon. Outside. Some part of me was aware that I was heading for Forestwatch, that I was heading for home, that I was ...I didn't know. Nothing made sense to me right now. Nothing. Reece yanked at my arm hard, trying to get me to turn around, but with the chocolate ice cream in my mouth and the cold tub under one arm, I ignored him as I tried to head for the fence between the properties. Reece was speaking but whatever he was saying, it made no sense any more, it was just noise. Noise in the background.

I struggled, trying to get over the fence, a leg over when I smelt the sudden stench of fear from Reece. Something hard hit my head. A fist. Striking me so hard that I fell back, shocked, Reece catching me and twisting my arms behind my back as he dragged me back from the fence. There it was, there that thing was, and it had been inches from me. Inches. And yet I was so numb...

I wanted the monster to hurt me.

The realisation shook me so much, as Reece dragged me back, his hands digging in so hard he left bloody trails, that I for a moment felt fear. Horror. But the thing didn't follow us. It tried and it couldn't get past the fence. I heard Reece's noise become swearing, just for a few seconds, as he hoisted me over his shoulder and forced me back to Stonehaven.

Or he tried to. I struggled and he was forced to drop me halfway, instead pinning me there, his face red and shiny with the effort of it. There was a bruise on his face. Had I done that? Maybe I had. I had been thrashing, I had this vague suspicion, but he had been carrying me and what had he expected?

I'm leaving you. I slept with Daniella.

Reece had the phone out and I heard Nick's voice.

That did it. I grabbed the phone, grabbed it so hard it cracked, and slammed it against the tree, over and over and over, till it and my fingers were bloody and broken. It wasn't just my fingers though. Reece had put his hand between my hand and the tree, trying to protect my hand, and I'd slammed his hand …

I felt something in my head snap, time seemed to go back to a normal speed, and stared at Reece as he knelt there, breathing hard, his hand bloody as it gently pushed my hand away from the bloody bark.

"Anne, come on. Snap out of it." He spoke, soft, his other hand holding my arm as hard as he could. "Speak to me. Talk. Come back."

"I... I slept with Daniella. I'm leaving you." The words slipped out.

He blinked at me, completely confused by this. "You did?"

"Nick. Nick said it. Nick left me a message. Nick sle..." I couldn't say it. I couldn't put Nick's name with the words.

"That's fucking impossible." Reece's face darkened though, he tugged me up, bending over me as if he could protect me from the world. "Not possible. Nick wouldn't do that. Dani wouldn't do that."

I didn't answer. I'd heard it, I'd heard the words, and now I couldn't unhear them.

Instead, I curled up in a ball on the ground, sliding out of his arms, wrapping my arms around my legs. It was too much to believe.

A hand brushed across my shoulders, gently, Reece trying to get me to stand.

"Anne, it's got to be a joke. It's okay." He was saying. I barely heard it.

I curled up tighter, eyes shutting, the feeling of rain pelting down on us. Not possible. The world didn't make sense. Nothing did. Nothing at all.

A hand turned my head up, the rain coming down to meet my hot face, to mix with the tears I hadn't realised I was crying. Reece's lips found mine, his hand refusing to let me pull away, kissing me so hard that I struggled to breathe.

"Anne, it's okay. It's going to be okay." He was speaking, between kisses, tugging me into his lap, arms hugging me hard against his chest. I buried my head into Reece's neck, crying openly now, the words ricochet around everything tender or ...I told Nick. He was my world. I'd lost everything and then he'd come for me. "I'll talk to him. Come with me."

He helped me up, literally having to help lift me up, an arm around me as we made our way into the silent house. We didn't go into my bedroom, I couldn't, we went into the last empty one that no one had used for months. No scents. Nothing. Reece left with the phone- if I heard Nick's voice again, I would snap the phone again- and I sat there, face wet with more than just the rain, staring at the wall. Just... staring.

Reece was yelling. I heard it, as I curled up, vaguely aware that he was yelling and that Jeremy was awake and that twins were awake and crying. I lay on my side on the bed, only getting up to lock the door and shove the bed against it so it couldn't be opened and re-curled up, eyes shut, refusing to listen anymore. To anything.

I wanted the drug. I wanted it so badly...

Sleep came so easily. Or had I changed? I wasn't sure. I just knew I was curled up.

My mate.

Reece wasn't my mate.

As much as I loved him, as much as I trusted him, Reece was not my mate. Deep down in my instincts I knew this. He was hot, I loved it when he shared me with Nick, but without Nick/ It wouldn't work. A shrink might have a lot to say about that but for me?

I wanted my mate. No other person was allowed in the room suddenly. Not Reece, not the twins, not Jeremy. No one.

What if I was wrong? Reece thought Daniella was his mate and she didn't feel like that. What if I was the only one who felt it? Or something?

A banging on the door, the door attempting to get past the bed, and I ignored it. Ignored all of them. This was not right. Nick … wouldn't do this.

But he had. He had done it once. I'd made myself forget. Once, months ago, he had been with another woman in some alley behind the club. Claimed he had no idea what was going on. Now he was doing it again. And to Daniella of all people? I trusted her. Crazy, after what she'd done to Reece, but she'd then turned around and been a huge support while I'd freaked out during the last pregnancy.

Suddenly I didn't really feel a difference between wolf or human. Both were hurt, I was neither human or wolf right now, and the pain in my chest covered changes. My mind was so chaotic, so busy with thoughts, that I wasn't really aware of when I changed or not.

Nick was the last one. It wasn't going to be any other way for me. It didn't matter if he left me now or died in thirty or forty years. There was only going to be one from start to finish. Anyone else, being Reece, only came in when that _one_ was there.

I felt my body under springs and mattress, saw I was changed at this point, and curled around so my muzzle was in my side. Shut my eyes. Something was going on. I didn't know what it was, I didn't know how to care, I just ...lay there. Ignored the door. Ignored everything. I almost wanted to die then and there and didn't care how pathetic this sounded.

The voice echoed around my head, echoing so loudly that the noises outside made no sense, the words the only things I could cope with.

It got dark, it got light, it got dark, and I didn't notice or care, I crawled into the closet, I lay naked on the bed, or maybe I was fur again. Or I snuck to the bathroom when no one was around. That seemed to be a lot more now.

A fist struck my face so hard that I was knocked clean off the bed, Clayton hoisting me up hard, Reece trying to yank his hands off me. Another fist, another knee, and I stared blankly at him, welcoming it. I didn't know or hear what he was saying. Reece was yelling at him though, so angry looking, getting in between us.

"Where's my kids, Anne."

The words took some time to come through my head. He was saying them, as he really got into me, his breathing hard and fast, no control there. Just rage. Something about Jeremy. Where were the kids?

I blinked, trying to come out of the daze I'd been in, trying to focus.

Reece pulled mebehind him, I heard a fist hit him instead, his grunt of pain cutting through the haze.

"I don't care if Nick fucking slept with Jeremy. My children are gone."

"What?" The shock of my own voice was nothing compared to that. I blinked, tried to focus, tried to come back to reality. It was day. There was ...nothing in the house. Nothing at all. No. There was, there was Elena, I could hear her. Going through the house at a run, frantic. "What do you mean?"

"Jeremy is gone. The children are gone. All of the children. What the fuck happened? We trusted you to protect them."

"Clay!" Elena's voice came, so panicked, from their room.

Clayton swore, shovign the bed hard against a wall, yanking the door open and leaving. He shot me such a disgusted look, so angry, that I cringed.

Reece wrapped a blanket around me, hugging me against him, kissing my head.

"What?" I asked, confused, shaking.

"I don't know. I went to New York and ...when I came back, the house was empty. Everyone was gone except you."

Everyone was gone.

That was impossible. Or was it? I'd been so dazed, so lost, so much in my head, the house could have been on fire and I wouldn't have noticed till I was on fire with it.

"Why did you go?" I asked, shutting my eyes, curling up against him. I felt sick.

"To kill Nick." The word threatened to topple me back into the abyss I'd been in. Instead, Reece squeezed hard, his face in mine. "Don't you freak out, Anne. Don't you dare. Your twins are missing. Matt's missing. Focus. I know you can do it."

My twins. Matt. Images, faces I'd shoved out with Nick's face crowding, and I tried to do what he said. Focus on them. Get Nick somewhere else.

"Fucking pathetic. I didn't react like this when Elena left." Clayton was coming back in, so angry, so damn angry. "Get the fuck out of my home. Go. I don't care what Elena says."

"Clayton, cal-" Reece tried to block him, and Clayton shoved him aside.

"I said, get out."

"What did you do?" Anger was rising now. It was probably anger at Daniella and Nick, more than likely, but it was rising so fast that it shocked me. Life was coming back into my head with it. "Beat up some Mutts? Kill them?"

"So what if I fucking did? I said, out of my home. This isn't your pack. You can't defend it, you don't belong in it." Clayton shoved Reece back again, his hand closing around my throat, lifting me up. "I should fucking..."

"Fuck you, Clayton. I don't use anger to deal with my grief." I spat, struggling against his hand only a moment, then going limp. His hand tightened and I let it . Shut my eyes.

Elena's hand went over his, I smelt it, felt it, half expected it to tighten with his. Instead, she was gently peeling the fingers away from my throat, and he wasn't resisting her. She was so calm compared to him, though the tears on her face broke my heart, and I …

I got it then. Our children.

"They're gone?"

Elena nodded and I broke down, the emotions of the past few days making it so easy, her arms coming around to grab me and hold on. There wasn't any anger from her, at least not at me, just the grief.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Elena. I..."

"Reece told us. Clay, calm down. They're her children too. Someone attacked her too."

"I don't remember what happened. I don't remember."

"Paige said the entire house was under something to confuse. It's okay. It's not completely your fault." Not completely. The words, in her soft voice, it broke my heart all over again. I'd really screwed up. Elena's twins. My twins. Matt. Nick could sleep with the whole damn world and I should never have gotten distracted.

"Don't fucking tell her that. It was completely her fault. Why the fuck have we wasted our time with her if she can't focus and do her job? We're not her parents" Clayton growled, his fist going right through the door, and he tore it apart as we knelt there, shaking. "And where were you?" He turned onto Reece, unable to take it out on me now.

"Killing Nick."

"Did you succeed?"

My eyes opened and I saw Reece shake his head, his eyes on us, lips pursed as the anger was there.

"Clay, focus on the timing." Elena said, softly. "What if it wasn't Nick?"

"It was Nick." Reece muttered. He didn't join us, just kicked at the door. "I talked to him. Beat him up a bit. It was Nick."

"I don't have the fucking time for this. I've got kids to find." Clayton took off downstairs. He didnt' even look at me now.

"He'll calm down. Nick ...shouldn't have …" Elena shook her head, standing, and I tried to stand too. "Shower and dress, focus, help us. That's an order. You have to help us."

She went downstairs with Nick and I stood there, numb, as Reece tried to get clothing for me. He followed me into the bathroom, refusing to leave when I got into the water, arms crossed and eyes fixed on me. Guarding me? It felt like it.

He moved closer as I stood there in the hot water, eyes shutting, and his arm went past me.

Cold water suddenly exploded all over me, making me gasp in shock, conciousness really coming into me now. I nearly fell over as I tried to get out of the shower.

He might have laughed another time but instead, he grabbed me before I slipped, and his hands cupped my face gently.

"You okay?"

I shook my head, smiled weakly, trying to get myself to focus on being here again. "I can dress."

Memories of sitting there, on that bench, shaving Nick... of Matt watching once... I shut my eyes, pain washing through me, the loss of Nick so huge in my head that I was struggling to _get _that my children were gone too. A hand lifted my foot and I blinked, staring down, Reece trying to dress me.

"Thirty seconds and you haven't moved. We're hurrying, remember?"

Shit. I dressed as fast as I could and followed him downstairs. He kept glancing back, as if he was making sure I was, but I was doing my best to focus now .

Clayton was right. No one had been here for at least two days. How long had I been like that? He and Elena were already outside, Clayton sniffing, Elena standing there in the same daze I was, Paige beside her. She glanced at me, reaching out, no anger or blame there. Clayton didn't even look up, just growled softly, too angry to even bother with words.

"I don't … the rain's fucking up trails." Clayon growled. "I'm going to change."

"Don't attack Anne."

He glowered at me, as if he was tempted to do just that, but he didn't say anything. Stalked off into the woods.

"We can't go to Forestwatch." I said, softly, and Elena blinked at me.

"What, why?" Apparently no one had told her this.

Reece stepped over. "There's something there. It spooked Jamie and Kristoff told her to stay away from there till she was cured."

Elena nodded, a stiff sharp nod. "We won't go."

"Why are you here? I mean, how?" My eyes went from her to Paige. They were in Washington, last I'd heard, when had they come back? "Did you get him?"

"We had to abandon that state. They wouldn't allow us to fly in. If he's in there, he's stuck. No one answered the phone here so... we called Paige and she came here ahead of us. You wouldn't wake. She tried to wake you. What did Nick's message say exactly?" Elena glanced to Reece.

I couldn't say it. Reece said it for me and I cringed, even now.

"That doesn't sound right." She muttered. "Two small sentences? Did he ..."

"He said it to me too. So did Daniella." Reece crossed his arms, glanced at me, and stepped closer. There was that guarding thing again. "I didn't question them more. If I did, I'd …" For a second, the anger on his face could have matched the anger Clayton had directed at me. "I got the treatment."

This made my head swing up and I stared at him. He grimaced as Elena hit him hard. "I had to get it. I knew Anne wasn't going to be okay. Fucking Nick... I got it, I got back as fast as I could. You were arriving."

"I should help track." I muttered. She shook her head.

"No. We're looking. Clayton isn't going to let you." Elena grimaced as the big blonde dog came out, his teeth bared at me, and I stepped back. He was right. I'd fucked up big time. "We'll find them."

"No, I have to look." I stepped into the house, ignored Elena's call to come back, hearing Reece hurry after me. I wasn't even sure where I was going. Teeth tried to grab me, Clayton, and I moved faster. Slammed the front door in Clayton's face as he tried to drag me back outside. I had to find Matt. Matt was smart- he ...where would he go, if they were being attacked? I dragged Reece into the basement, shut the door behind us, and started to strip.

"Hold that shut. I'll only be a second." I snapped, Reece hesitated, and nodded. He held onto the door after locking it.

"Want me to change?"

"One of us needs thumbs." It was easier. Reece nodded and I hurried down the stairs to change there on the ground.

Clayton did not follow us. Neither did Elena. They probably had bigger things to worry about now than me, and now that I'd snapped back into action, I really had to snap into action. No more 'fucking around'. There were some missing kids and babies, and Jeremy, and while I knew Clayton was right- I'd screwed up- he wasn't going to be thinking clearly right now either. Jeremy was his father and those were his kids.

I nuzzled against Reece's side, affection for him spilling over now that I was wolf-nature, and he brushed his hand through the thick fur before we headed back out. I had more or less adopted him as a 'second mate', apparently, though ...nothing could replace Nick. Nothing. I had one mate and one mate only.

I growled, shook my head, like I was trying to shake a flea out. Shook hard. My mate was my mate, no matter what he said, no matter what he did. That was all there was to it. If he wanted to pretend otherwise then he was sick. The urge to go to him may have overwhelmed my control if it wasn't for that fact that right now, my puppies and my Alpha's puppies were under direct threat. They took priority over wayward mates.

We headed outside and a golden body ploughed into me, snarling, snapping, growling, going for my neck. I didn't fight back. I dropped down to my belly, rolled over, tail between my legs as Clayton attacked, Reece swearing as he backed off.

It was what he needed to see. He was right. I was wrong. I was entirely at his punishment. Teeth sunk through the skin enough to rip it, though he backed off, teeth bared, and then started for the woods along the faint trail he'd located amongst the mud and dirt. Then he glanced back. Waited.

I got up, shook, and followed behind him, tail and ears still down, remaining submissive as I followed Clayton's lead.

The trail led through the forest. Matt was leading it, Kate and Logan right behind him, leading them through land that wouldn't catch scent. Frequently we had to stop and we had to circle, Clayton and I trying to re-pick up the scent, Reece using his height to check. He was doing his best to make sure no one could follow him, Matt, circling over the land several times, creating scent trails that criss-crossed and confused our senses. It took over an hour at one point, where he had made Logan and Kate circle and circle and circle, till we found out where it ended.

We reached the border and both I and Reece froze, as we felt that cold sense come over us. Clayton seemed to hesitate too, glancing at Forestwatch's land, looking to Reece as he said softly what was there.

But Matt, Logan and Kate had crossed here. And it was daylight. They might have hidden here. I didn't know.

We smelt something else though. Something that I recognised long before Clayton did. Suddenly I took off into the forest, ahead, chasing the other scent. Clayton easily overtook me, Reece hurrying behind us, his own nose catching onto it now. Demetruis. Demetruis was here. Had been here. More recently. Maybe just a few hours. The smell was so strong, compared to the scent of the kids... and it'd come from the road. He'd come onto the road, gotten lost, and had found the fence and the little trail we used between houses.

Clayton nudged me, no trace of anger now, just purpose. However badly I'd fucked up this past year, however many bad choices, I knew that as long as I refused to give up and follow his orders, he'd prefer me to keep trying. Maybe that was why he was so angry. I'd given up- I hadn't fought Nick. He didn't understand 'giving up' when it came to grief. He only understood the need to keep moving. I stopped when he stopped and he swung his head around. I heard it. Something following us. Something small.

Reece froze too, glancing back. His heart increased. He was afraid, afraid of that thing, and so was I.

Clayton nudged me and I moved sideways, as he and Reece continued onwards, and I moved slowly through the bush. Carefully placed each paw, as the small paws traced after us, inhaling slowly. Matt. He was stalking us.

Relief flooded me and I slid closer to him, his senses only picking me up when I moved into the wind blowing at him, the little wolf head twisting around. I half expected him to be feral, or something, but he whined, racing over, crawling under me and rolling over. He was ratty, covered in burs, like he'd been a wolf for the entire two days he'd been here. Maybe he had. I inhaled, slowly, shutting my eyes as I pushed my nose against his fur, fighting the urge to groom him all over. His paws were bloody, teeth bloody, and he curled up against me, trembling, the stench of fear and stress coming from him. Matt had done his best.

Clayton's call, a howl that went down into my deepest body, came from Forestwatch. Body trembling, I shut my eyes, throwing back my head as my body automatically responded. Matt stood up too, ears pricking, and he was right beside me as I took off, racing for Forestwatch, seeing owls literally surrounding it. Sitting on it. Sitting on the fence. They were all over the place and …

They were on Demetruis. Not around him. I growled, fur rising, half expecting them to belong to him. But nothing. No, he was being held there, the claws sinking in, but he wasn't moving. I didn't hear his heart, I didn't hear anything, except that he was very still. Inside and out. The owls still stayed put. There were six of them, huge birds, huge _angry_ looking birds.

And inside...

Clayton paced around the house, his teeth bared as the birds warded him off, and I saw why. Inside, Kate and Logan were at the window, waving. Waving? Jeremy too. Matt growled, as one of the owls swooped at him, and I snapped at it as the claws came dangerously close to him. Maybe that was why he had bloody cuts on his back. I breathed out, slowly, as Jeremy came out. He seemed unharmed. When he embraced Clayton, the owls took off, middle of the day, flying off as if this was a perfectly natural thing. But they didn't go far.

It was like they were guarding Jeremy and the twins, I realised with a shock. Guarding them? They'd attacked the monster thing too.

Reece hoisted Demetruis up off the ground. He flopped, head rolling around, and I could tell he'd been dead for a few minutes. Jeremy threw a sheet at Reece, who took it and wrapped him up, before the twins came out. They didn't look at the dead body in the sheet, their eyes were on their dad, clinging to his fur with both arms.

Jeremy came over to me and Matt, kneeling, reaching out gently for Matt.

"Where have you been? Guarding the house?" He asked softly, Matt refusing to go near him, backing up with a soft whine-growl... he couldn't figure out if he wanted to warn Jeremy away or ask him to come close. "You could have stayed with us."

I slid closer too, lowering down, ears and tail down now, regret spelt out with every part of the body that could spell it. Jeremy glanced up at me, smiling, a small tense smile. "I was worried about you too. We had to hide and … I couldn't move you _and_ them. I'm sorry. We have to get away from here though. Jamie's been beside herself here."

I nodded, glancing past him for the twins and... didn't smell them. When I didn't move, as they moved away with the kids, I moved for the house.

"They're not there." Jeremy said softly, coming back. "They got them before I could... the only reason we got out was because Matt led the big kids away. Come back, Anne, away from this house. Now. The kids need to get into a safe place. Matt needs to get into a safe place and to be checked."

I turned around, hesitating, glancing back. Grief flooded me, grief that was only put aside by the need to protect Matt, who was still pressed close against me, limping, trembling. He only trusted me right now. I followed Jeremy and the kids, flanking them, Matt almost tripping under my big paws, his smaller reddish body in much too bad a state for my instinct's liking.

I breathed out slowly, trying to not panic about the twins, but at least this was distracting me from Nick. Sort of. Matt. I had to get him back to Stonehaven and guard the twins.

We made our way and only when we reached Stonehaven a good half hour later did we slow down and relax. I changed in the basement where I'd left my clothing and hurried up to Matt, who we'd let change in the room, only entering when I could tell he was walking around.

"You okay?" I asked, softly, as he glanced up. He'd at least pulled on some pants. Had to be a good sign if he could dress himself.

"My feet hurt." Matt admitted, lifting one, the heels cracked, bloody and sore looking. He grinned though. He looked pretty satisfied with himself. "I chased that thing all over the place. The owls helped."

"Weren't you scared?"

He nodded, shrugged, and came over to wrap his arms around my waist. "Yeah. But I knew you wouldn't be."

I shut my eyes, hugging him close, a flood of love for this kid coming and overwhelming any hurt Nick had done. "I was scared of it too."

Clayton came in and sat down, watching us, not speaking. Only when Matt let go of me did he speak, softer, the anger gone now he knew his children were safe. "They told me you protected them."

"Yeah." He sat down beside him, looking a bit sheepish and embarrassed. "Jeremy couldn't do it. I heard you tell Anne that. And she was sick again so... I couldn't get the babies. I'm sorry." He glanced up at me, the guilt there, and I sat on his other side. "I just wanted to protect Kate and Logan because they can't do it yet. And I knew they were coming for them."

"It's okay. We'll hunt them down." I promised him, shutting my eyes, aware that again I'd lost the twins. I didn't know where they were now. Demetruis looked dead or close to it. "Whoever has them is in a lot of trouble."

"Damn right they are. Anne got better as soon as she knew you were in trouble. They put a spell on her." Clayton's eyes met mine. No anger now. Not at me, anyway, not after I'd snapped back into action when they'd removed it. He smiled a small tense smile. "Elena and Jeremy are already on the phone to Lucas about it."

"Can I learn to fight now?"

"Yes." Both Clayton and myself said it at the same time. We met each other's eyes again, Clayton nodding a fraction, his hand clasping Matt's shoulder.

"After spending two days defending the house from something that scared even Reece, you're getting training. A lot of it I'm not going to be easy on you though. It will hurt." Clayton's eyes locked into Matt's eyes, a small challenge right there, no trace of warm or affection.

"Okay." Matt didn't flinch. As tired as he was, as scared as he'd been for the past two days, as injured as he was, he met the older man's eyes with that same unwavering stare, this kind of connection there. Both had been bitten as children and both had been stubborn enough to survive it. I knew it'd been harder for Clayton- he'd been on his own, from what I gathered- where as Matt had us from the very start. But they still had that bond to their 'inner wolf' I doubted I'd ever have.

"This okay with you?" Clayton's eyes went to mine. "He won't be treated gently."

"He showed he can decide about that." I smiled, pushing back the urge to shove him behind me, to protect him. To say NO. I didn't like the idea of Matt getting beaten up by Clayton the way I did, when he was forcing me to learn, but... the more Matt knew, the better. "If Matt wants to do it, I'll say okay. But give him a few days to heal."

"Agreed." Clayton nodded, shaking Matt's hand, the small tense smile back now as he ruffled Matt's red hair. "I'm going to talk to your aunt now. Go on down and let Jeremy check you."

Matt left without an argument and we sat there, quiet, staring at the wall.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper." He said it, stiff, as if he'd been ordered. Probably had been. Elena hadn't liked what he'd done. But when ours met, I saw he was genuine about the words, even if he wouldn't have said them. "You okay?"

"I think I told you once to hit me if I got like that." I muttered. "Let's just focus on the twins."

"Yeah, you did." He relaxed, leaning back on his elbows, gazing at the ceiling. "Let Elena and Jeremy focus on it for a bit. Did you use any pain killers?"

"No." I breathed out, flopping back as well, suddenly aware how much of a small victory that was. Addiction to a drug, particularly that drug, was not a small thing. Usually when a trauma happened it was the time people fell back into it. I hadn't. "I didn't use anything."

"Good." Clayton didn't speak for a long time. We lay there, staring at the ceiling, my tension starting to creep into his body as if he was picking it up. "Demetruis is dead."

"About fucking time." I muttered. What a strange anti-climatic end for him after all this. "How?"

"Not sure. No one saw it happen. Jeremy saw him outside, lying there, covered in those damn birds." Clayton asked, voice going softer, "You want to go check on Nick?"

"Check? He made it pretty clear."

"Yeah. But if he really cheated on you, he'd go for a woman he could ditch. Daniella's pack. He can't ditch her. Something's going on in that idiot's head." Clayton said the words softly, but clearly, as if he'd been thinking on this for a while and had carefully planned the words in his head. "Antonio called on our way back. Lillian died the day they got there."

I sat up, sudden, horror flooding through me at Clayton's words. He sat up slowly, blue eyes fixing in mine, waiting for an argument. I couldn't think of one.

"Has Nick..."

"I haven't talked to him. No one has, aside from you and Reece, even Antonio's struggling to get contact." He handed me a phone from his pocket. "Call Antonio, not Nick."

I did. It got through instantly.

"Clayton?" It was Antonio all right. Tired. I'd never heard him like this.

"It's me." I said, spoke so quietly, that I had to repeat the words.

"I've been trying to call you. It keeps going through to voice mail. Lily... she..." For a long time, Antonio couldn't speak. "It was too much. The heart. She got an infection and ...it was too much for her. We married when I got back, when the doctor told her it was bad and then she fell asleep and she didn't wake. The funeral's tomorrow."

I shut my eyes as the words sunk in. Lillian had died. I knew she wasn't young, even if she looked it, but ...she'd always been so strong, so feisty, and she and Antonio had been so fast to pick up again. They'd even re-married.

"Is Nick..."

"He's not speaking to anyone. I heard what he'd told you. Reece isn't quiet. I don't know if it's true or not, just ...please come. I could do with you there." He spoke so softly, so quiet, that I wanted to hug the phone just to somehow do it to him.

"We can come today." Clayton spoke from beside me. "Right away."

"We're coming now. Today. I hope there's room in your big house." I added the last part, trying to joke, but it was lost in the grief for him. "I ...we're coming."

"Okay. Look, I need to go, I need to … clean. It's here. Her funeral's here." He hung up and I stared at the phone.

"I didn't know."

"Course not. Nick didn't tell you and you had another breakdown. Get packed for you and Matt. We're on the next flight and we need to hurry. It's safer for the twins at Antonio's house at the moment anyway, with that thing." Clayton stood up, hesitated, and reached down to hug me. It was awkward at first, then he relaxed, and breathed out slowly. "Guess you're the closest thing I got to a sister. Heard they weren't perfect but you'll do though. Get ready. I'll get us food for the trip."

He left before he could see my reaction. I started to pack Matt's clothing, numb, tears already leaking out. Not just at Lillian's death but at the compliment from Clayton after I'd almost gotten his twins kidnapped. Well, okay, there'd been a small dig at me in the middle of it. He wouldn't get over it till he was sure they were safe. But he'd calmed down and I wasn't banished. Not yet, anyway.

Matt came back up and when I had the right clothing, and told him to leave them in there, I let him pack whatever toys or movies he wanted. He always hated to leave Stonehaven or Forestwatch- as good as he was in the world, he preferred this world- and maybe a small den of toys would help.

I froze as I went into our bedroom. Nick's scent, the twin's scent, all fading. My babies had been taken again and I didn't know who'd taken them. I stood there a long time, eyes going from the empty crib to the bed, frozen. I couldn't go in.

Elena came up behind me, hand on my shoulder, staring into the room. "We're looking into it."

I nodded, shutting my eyes, still stuck on the threshold. "I can't go in there."

"Okay." She moved into the room, pulling the suitcase from under the bed, and packed for me. I kept my eyes shut. I didn't know what to do. Take things for the twins? Leave them? Take bottles? Nappies? Their favourite toys? Elena was packing black clothes.

Oh god. Funerals.

"How are you looking into finding them?"

"Clayton's checking scents. It looks like there was a car. There's cameras all over the place, security cameras, all sorts. We'll check. Paige and Lucas are checking. Cortez is checking. There's already people on it." Elena spoke softly but quickly, as she threw things in for me, and handed me a suitcase. "Did you need anything else? Is everything in your handbag?" She held it up, the old thing I'd had for years, and I nodded. Everything probably was in there, including things from months ago. Really had to clean it out sometime.

"We're going now." Elena led the way downstairs, the suitcase in my hands, her own bag already in the back of the car. She might not have even taken it out from the trip earlier, I didn't know, except that Jeremy and Clayton were in the other car with the kids. She and Clayton locked up while I waited in the car, Reece sliding into the back seat beside me, and I told him what Clayton had said.

He breathed out, slowly, regret all over his face. "Shit. I didn't even... you think that's it? He said it because his mother died?"

"I don't know." I didn't. Maybe he had slept with Daniella. If he did, I couldn't do a thing about it now, all I knew was that Nick was mine. If he was suffering, if he was hurting, I was right there. It didn't matter if he slept with one woman or hundreds. He couldn't leave me. I wasn't a house. I was his partner, right beside him, and always would be. It'd be easier to get rid of a shadow than your mate. "We have to be there for him. No matter what he's done. Even if he did cheat. Okay?"

"Yeah." He wasn't as sure as I was. Maybe he was less forgiving of this cheating thing. Reece had already been pretty badly stung by Daniella, after all. Reece glanced at me, his jaw tense now, adding, "You can be like that. I can't. If he did … I'm not going to let it go easily."

"He did already." The words slipped out. Soft. I shut my eyes as I heard him breathe in sharply.

"What, when?"

"He said it wasn't in his control. Over a year ago, after he hit his head, there was a woman... I don't know." I wasn't sure why I was telling Reece when he made it clear how he felt. Maybe I did need to hear it, maybe I did need to hear the anger, hear that ...my own anger had been justified. It didn't change that I was going to be there for him. But it did feel good when Reece swore softly.

"Whatever you decide with him, I'm on your side, okay? Fuck him off and I'll help. Forgive him and... I guess I'll put up with it." He said, finally, when I didn't elaborate. I nodded and returned my attention to Elena as she came to sit in the front seat. Matt was in the car behind us, I made sure, in the back seat with Kate and Logan.

We drove to the airport in silence.

In two days, somehow, the world had gone from being normal to 'disease paranoid'. We couldn't even enter the airport without putting on face masks, apparently, and were told to leave them on till we left the airport on the other end. Told to wear masks out in public at all times. Wash hands. Apparently each state was now 'cut off'. The 'canine fever' had spread so fast and so far that each state was literally in quarantine.

We all got on the plane quietly, masks on, with only the kids talking, and even they were so mentally and physically exhausted from the last few days that they were falling asleep as soon as they were on the plane. Matt got the window seat beside me, Reece on my other side, Clayton, Elena and Jeremy flanking the twins. Paige and Lucas were just up from us, I realised, though I'd been so dazed that I hadn't notice them get on.

"Anne, will we be back in time for school?" Matt asked. I seriously doubted he was asking because he wanted to go to school.

When I shook my head, muttering "Probably not," my suspicions were confirmed. He grinned such a brilliant grin that I could only smile back at his enthusiasm. I'd have to call the school and let them know we were going to miss a few days.

The flight to New York was much faster than driving, like usual, even if it was much more expensive. Truthfully I was glad it was faster. But even as we got off, I felt my heart jump into my throat, staring at the familiar airport. Memories of this place, nearly always involving Nick,flooded into my head and I felt my resolve to be strong for him even after his bombshell struggling to stay there.

Hired cars, great things, and we were driving for Antonio's big house. Mansion. Whatever it was called. It was a good hour's drive once we got through traffic but he seemed to be fast to notice we were at the security gates- they opened as Elena slowed the car down, and she drove through slowly, the mansion in daylight as impressive as it had been at night when I'd last been here. Okay. It wasn't a castle. But it was big enough for me to call it a 'mansion'. The grounds weren't small either, they were extensive, I didn't see the edges of them. I didn't see neighbours either, except for a distant roof here and there over the trees, and the glint of the river that surrounded New York moving past us.

Antonio was waiting outside as we pulled up, throwing our masks off as fast as we could, arms open, quite happy to take whoever got out first. It was Jeremy who won the race, the two of them embracing, and he and Antonio went in ahead of us. But he did pause, came back outside, and wrapped his arms around me, leaning against me a moment.

"Thankyou." Antonio murmured against my neck, his face pale, eyes red. "For coming."

"Always." I dropped the suitcase and hugged him, wrapping arms around his neck, the two of us standing there as he breathed a little deeper and heavier than usual, the suppressed emotion just barely contained. "I'm cooking tonight."

"You better be." Antonio stood back up, smiling weakly, brushing his eyes with his sleeve in an attempt to hide the dampness. "I can't cook. Nick is at work."

"Seriously?" I hadn't wanted to ask but I wasn't sure I could believe that. Nick wasn't exactly a workaholic, though he had focused on it while she was sick, but working now? Was this how he coped?

"Can't stop him. Okay. Everyone follow me. Kids share a bedroom, Clayton and Elena get one, everyone else gets their own. Daniella is at work as well."

He led us to the bedrooms, one by one, and we got dropped off there with our bags. Mine wasn't the room Nick slept in. I could smell it- it was dusty, stuffy, not used for a very long time. Maybe Nick didn't even sleep in the main house, he had said once that he disliked it. I opened the windows and, in an attempt to stay calm, started to clean up the room, dusting, stripping sheets off, finding myself doing this for every other bedroom without thinking. Antonio tried to stop me for a few minutes but ...this was how I coped. I cooked. I cleaned.

I got stampeded by three excited toddlers, apparently, as I stepped into the living room and was spotted.

I collapsed on the ground, in a heap of sheets, toddlers and tears, clinging to them as much as they clung to me, all four of us bawling our eyes out. It probably looked crazy, it probably was, but they were hysterical and I was hysterical and we were all so relieved to see each other that no one could say or do anything else.

They followed me into the laundry and helped me, which truthfully slowed us down more than it helped, but I hadn't realised how much I'd missed the triplets. Matt, the twins gone, Nick, and the need for my older babies suddenly had to go under the surface for a while. Dominic seemed better, happier, Lily and Susie trying their best to load things in the machine, agreeing with me that this was a thing they could only do if I was around with them. Then they wanted to wash their doll's clothing and I got them a tub of warm water.

We sat outside in the autumn sun, as the toddlers 'washed' and hung their things up, the sheets hung up when they were done. I shut my eyes, the warmth of the sun against skin, aware that I was only really delaying the talk with Nick. I had to go talk to him. I had to tell him that I loved him and that nothing he could say or do was pushing me away. Instead I sat there, afraid, snuggled and loved by my babies.

"You want me to get these three moving along?" Reece came out after a while, as if he'd seen me shift restlessly. "If you're going to slap Nick, better do it before he vanishes into a club."

He was right. I just was dreading it suddenly. I didn't know why. I shut my eyes, wishing this was easy, wishing that … I didn't know.

"Come on, you three, it's ice cream time. Jeremy has it. Waiting." Reece pointed at the door and the three toddlers vanished in seconds. "Let's move."

He yanked me up and I could only follow him into the garage.

"What if Nick rejects me? To my face?"

"Then slap him. And come down to me. I'll wait. What if he doesn't?" His eyes met mine, as he opened the passenger door for me, waiting for me to slide in.

"What if he _does_?"

"Told you. Slap him." He slammed the door a little too hard and slid into the other side. "Antonio's given you his permission."

I didn't argue, just sat there, staring at my reflection in the glass as we made our way back into the busy city. Everyone was wearing a mask. It was incredible, this fear, this paranoia, and I wondered if it was real or fake fear- if this was a real threat for humans. I sort of hoped not.

Reece gave me a mask and I slipped it on, the horrible thing suffocating to me, but he was wearing one now. The whole city was wearing one.

The building Nick worked in was huge. We stopped in the lobby as I told the woman who I was. She called up, glancing at me, and spoke softly into the phone as I paced up and down.

"Sorry. Mr. Sorrentino has asked that you come back another time."

"We're not going." Reece snapped. His tone, the way he snapped at the woman, I hadn't noticed how tense he was. Now I noticed. He crossed his arms, stared down at her, one hell of a threatening sight. The 'charming Australian' was gone. Now he was just scary Australian who looked like he was about to play knifey spoony with some poor sixty year old woman. A woman who didn't know that he was a giant pussy cat and who wasn't going to harm her.

"Sir, we're going to have to call security if you don't go." She was already reaching for the button, I was sure of it, as Reece took a step closer.

"It's okay." I touched his arm, he flinched, and shook his head.

"No. Tell Nick that his wife's here. We're not going. His _wife_ wants to see him. She's got the right to do it. Do you get that?" He was taking out his anger at Nick on this woman, I realised with a shock, and I yanked him back as she pressed something. A little alarm went off somewhere in the distance.

"Reece, calm down."

Security guards appeared from the depths of the building, big ones, and Reece looked about ready to take out his anger at Nick on them now. With his body back to 'werewolf' normality I didn't want to face this. I dragged him outside, he swore, turning to face me.

"Calm down. We'll find another way."

"Yeah, how?"

He was not impressed, he pulled out his phone and tried to get Nick while I tried to think. What would someone in a movie do?

The answer struck me as I stared up, grinned, and tugged on his arm. "How hard do you think it'll be to find out which floor is which floor?"

"Why?" He wasn't getting an answer. Nick wasn't picking up. Reece's eyes followed my eyes to the object I was staring at that was half hidden in the alley. "You're kidding, right? Wolves up high?"

"Not kidding at all." I strode up to the window washing lift thing. Whatever it was called. "Let's go. Call Antonio and find out what floor he's on."

Reece swore and followed me. He hesitated as he stared at it, this flimsy metal object, and that fear came back into his face as it shook gently under my weight. We were an inch from the ground and he was already scared.

"What floor is Nick on?" I asked, as Reece stood there, hands on the bar, still not getting in. He asked Antonio, I got an answer, and before Reece could blink, was already making it go up. Leaving him down there.

If he was already afraid, I reasoned, what was he going to be like in this horrible thing sixteen floors up? I tried to not look at my feet, at the gaps there, or feel the metal 'shelf' shake and tremble. Tried to not see the height as I counted the floors. This was harder than expected- not all windows were open and most were tinted- but it was at least … distracting.

The wind whipped around me so hard that my hair tie vanished into it, the mask with it, and I heard Reece shouting at me. Really shouting, especially as it started to swing, but I had a purpose and Nick's reaction was more frightening to me than this thing. Even if it was swinging.

Fuck, it was _really_ swinging.

I held on, teeth gritted, forcing the fear down as the sun vanished and the rain started again. Maybe this was why the workers weren't using it- the weather was too nasty. There were some harness things. I stared at them, too afraid to let go of the rail, wondering if I should have put one on. Probably.

What floor was I up to? Fuck. Six, seven, eight... I made it go up, and up, and up, teeth grinding, hands white around the now wet rail, the wind whipping my hair around my head so hard that I felt like I was going to go bald. The metal was slippery, the wind scary, and ...then I saw the floor I needed. Sixteenth floor.

And no windows that opened, apparently. This was not like the Matrix. Apparently this building had air conditioning.

I saw a shadow inside. I wasn't sure who it was, exactly, but if this was the floor...

The entire shelf thing shook, as the wind caught it again, and I felt it actually leave the side of the building, swinging, slamming into glass. I had no idea how to stop it from doing this. There was probably a button or a ...it was a miracle I'd figured out how to make it go up and down, seriously, a 'stabilise' button not handy or obvious.

Again, the wind caught it, and it swung wider out now, bile rising into my throat as we swung a good two metres out. Oh fuck. Okay. Bad idea. Next one.

The shelf slammed into the glass, one end shattering glass, I heard screams. Now I was noticed, or at least, it was noticed. It was a big hole though. Nice big hole. As the shelf really started to swing, swing so fast and far that I was almost tipped over the edge, I stared at the hole, focused on it, rising up on the edge of the rail. Forget that I was sixteen floors up. Fuck. Fuck...

I jumped. Jumped, nearly lost it, nearly missed it, but arms grabbed me and pulled me the rest of the way in, a heart thudding hard against my head as we crashed into the glass, the scaffolding swinging in crazy spins outside, slamming against glass. Ah fuck. Antonio was going to kill me.

We lay there, breathing hard, my eyes squeezed shut. I was waiting to crash onto ground. Wind and rain blew hard into the gap, the rumble of thunder in the distance, but ...no falling. We weren't falling. I was perfectly still.

"I'm fucking divorcing you, Australian." Nick growled against my ear, his entire body shaking, but his arms tightened. Someone was trying to ease them off me. Security, I saw from one peek, but he ignored them. "You hear me?"

"Yeah, I h-" I was cut off as the scaffold slammed into the side of the building again, hard, Nick's arms so tight now that I could barely breathe. "I got your message."

He and I stood up, nearly struck by the stupid thing, and I realised his legs were almost dangling out of the huge hole. Glass was everywhere. Nick dragged me back, back into the building, pushing security away when they offered to take me away.

"You trying to die?" Nick turned on me when we reached an office, his office from the smell of it, slamming the door hard behind us. He was white with rage and fear, body shaking, so angry. "Fuck. Fuck. You're selfish. Why would you do that to me? _Today_?"

"You said you're leaving me! You wouldn't let me come up!" I found a desk and sat there, legs giving way, the fear catching up. Holy crap. That cou- another loud slam, the sound of sirens, Nick grabbing at me as the floor shuddered. I cringed, shaking now, and his anger faded somewhat as he stared at me. I couldn't look at him.

"I'm not. Or I wasn't. Fuck, I don't know. You're young, Liz. Reece is young. Marry him." He jumped as the door was banged on by the security. Something about evacuating the floor. Nick ignored them. He flopped into a sofa, head in his hands, his spine shuddering. "Lillian died. I'm old. Go marry him."

Anger flooded me then, so much more of it, that it overwhelmed my fear and shock. He didn't even notice as I strode across the floor but he did notice when I yanked his head up and slapped him hard.

"Are you crazy?" I snapped. I shoved Nick backwards, sliding into his lap, sliding up hard against his chest. I made his arms go around me. "Does it look like I want a younger husband? Would I leave Reece on the safe ground and jump across a thirteen story gap for you if I wanted a young husband?"

"Sixteen." He didn't respond any more than that though. Nick's arms tightened around me, nose against my neck, his face burying against the soft skin there.

"Fine, sixteenth floor. I want you. You can leave me, divorce me, sleep with the whole damn world, and I'll still be waiting for you. And-" I pushed him back, making him meet my face, holding his head there. "-You're not old."

"My mom died, Liz. She's the same age as my dad. I couldn't ..." Nick's eyes squeezed shut, grief flooding through them, but when I kissed him, he kissed back hard, bruising my lips, his arms dropping to pull my legs up around his. Slide my skirt up, up high around my hips, lifting me up.

I didn't resist. He shoved me back onto the small sofa, barely freeing himself, ignoring the shudders of the building as the scaffold hit it, arms wrapping around me as Nick pushed himself inside me hard, groaning softly against my neck. I kissed his throat gently, pushed my hips against his, encouraging him. Having sex right now, while I practically destroyed his building? Stupid. So fucking stupid and ...we needed it.

It was just minutes before we were groaning, release flooding my body from both him and my own hormones, Nick's arms wrapping around my back and pulling me against him as he lay on top of me.

For a long time we lay like that, his bare hips and body pressed against mine, and Nick only got up when I told him I heard fire fighters coming.

"I love you." I muttered, heart jumping into throat when he hesitated...

"You sure you want me?" Nick's eyes went past me to his reflection in a small mirror. He touched a spot on his head, a spot that was slightly grey, a wrinkle on his forehead. It was like he'd never seen his face before, the fear there, the genuine 'I'm getting old and I don't know when it started' fear.

"It's you or no one."

"And he's Australian." He added, muttering, eyes meeting mine. When I raised my hand, Nick grabbed it, kissing the palm, a long deep sigh. "You sure?"

I grabbed him, tugging him down, kissing him hard against the door. "It's either you or no one. I told you that. I'm yours. And when you are old, which is a long way away, I'm still yours. Where's that ego I like?"

"It's rescuing you from falling to your death." He replied, leaning against me, his breathing fast. We stood there a long time, listening to the fire fighters rescue the building, Nick's breathing fast.

When they were gone, only then did he gently unwound my arms, and lead me downstairs.

We paused in the lift, as it went down, Nick's warm eyes fixed in mine. There was a reluctant smile, like he wasn't quite sure how to do it, but the grief was still there.

"I didn't sleep with her. Well, I did-" He hesitated, eyes meeting mine still, "-but we were dressed and ...we didn't do anything. We just slept in the same bed. Lillian had ...and Daniella found me drunk … so she stayed overnight. She was afraid I'd choke on my own vomit."

I breathed out, slowly, relief flooding through me.

"I love you. Liz. Just ...I don't know how to cope with it. I thought it was better . You and Reece care about each other and ..."

"Could you swap mates?" I snapped.

Nick hesitated, reached across, drawing me under his arm. He sighed, a long deep sigh, releasing whatever other arguments he probably had saved for the 'Reece' husband. "No. I couldn't. All right. I was wrong."

"I'm here. I'm not leaving." I grabbed his hand, squeezing it, as Nick's face clouded over with that grief he was trying to suppress. The doors opened ...and a fist hit me square in the ribs. Reece was waiting for us, his face white, and once he'd hit me, he checked me all over. Then he hit me hard, again, so hard I was winded. Reece looked _furious_. "You better fucking have made up for that. I … fuck."

"We did, yeah?" I glanced up at Nick, who nodded, tugging me harder against his side.

"Yeah. Come on. We better get home." He tried to smile, grasping Reece's shoulder, pulling him along with me. "I think I need both of you tonight. To be around. Just ...come home with me. I need you two. My pack."

"We're coming." I grasped Reece's hand, he blinked, nodded, and we hurried with Nick to his car, escaping the chaos I'd left behind.


	24. Stillness

Reece drove us and stopped at a pizza store as he ordered enough for the whole pack. He sat inside as we crawled into the back seat, sitting close to each other, Nick's arms not letting go.

So it'd been grief? His mother had died and ...he'd tried to push us away. Me away. His babies.

Now that I'd made it clear I was still there, he struggled to let go, his hands brushing across where glass had cut my hands and legs on the crazy leap in, my own hands searching him for where the same thing had appeared.

"They took them." I said quietly, as he checked my back.

"Who?" Nick's hand pulled the top away, stroking down the skin.

"The twins. Someone took them. I … I didn't protect them."

Nick froze, sitting back up. "Our twins?"

I nodded and shut my eyes, that grief and regret coming back. If I'd only not broken down, or if I'd controlled myself, after all the good I'd done proving I could do that...

"Was it him? Did he take them?" He growled softly, reaching for the seat belt and unclipping it around my waist. "We're going to find them. You and me."

"No. He's dead. Demetruis is dead. It was someone else." I let him pull me into his lap, leaning against him, relief and grief mixing together. Lillian was dead, Antonio's Lily, Nick's mum, and the twins were missing. This time I had no clue who took them or where they'd gone. Just that they'd gone.

"You can trust Clayton. He won't let this last. No one touches our young. How did he die? Did you kill him?" When I shook my head, Nick blinked. He looked confused. "Clayton? Elena? How did he die?"

"He was just dead outside Forestwatch. Just lying there. There were six owls on him."

Six owls.

The image flooded back into my head. Forestwatch. Covered in owls. Demetruis dead outside, Jeremy and the twins inside, Matt protecting the outskirts. I told Nick what had happened, and he listened, cringing when he realised why I'd been too out of it to protect them. It had partly been his fault. He wanted all the blame, I forced him to admit that I should have had better control, even if he didn't really agree with the words he spoke.

"What the hell is with the owls though? And that _thing_?" He tightened his grip on me, gazing outside into the street, and we went quiet as we watched people come and go, masks covering faces, that nervous look on people. I had to go turn on the news when I got back. It'd been days since I last heard about it.

"I don't know." I admitted. "I ...I just want to find the twins. I don't care. I should get a paper."

"A paper?" Nick took a few seconds to catch up with the change of subject. "Why?"

"To find out what the hell is going on. I need to be focused." I slid out of the car before he could stop me, hurrying to one of the stands, getting several of the papers.

Nick wasn't far behind, no big shock, his hand finding the small of my back as soon as he could reach. I glanced back at him, smiling somewhat, his own hesitant smile matching mine. I just loved the idiot. He was an idiot, sure, but he was mine. He leaned against me as we got the papers and stood there, staring at the articles, accepting the 'free masks' and slipping them on. It wasn't needed for us, I wasn't sure if it was needed for anyone, but it made us fit in a bit more right now.

It also looked a bit strange- Nick, perfectly styled curls, suit tailored to hug his body just right, wearing a cheap looking fabric mask. But it did make his eyes stand out. I stared up at him, admiring him, trying to relax by indulging the need to stare at him. It worked somewhat. I breathed in deep, drawing his scent past the mask, his arm tightening as if he knew what I was doing. It wasn't just about perving. It was knowing he was there.

"Come on. Reece is back with the food." He squeezed my side, folded the paper under his arm, and we headed back hand in hand. Reece raised his eyes as he caught of us.

"Come on. We want to get it back before it gets cold." He got into the driver's side and we got into the back seat, one after the other, Reece hang us a box. "Got this for a snack for the trip back. Pass me bits. Filled Nick in on what happened?"

"Yeah." Nick spoke up. He added, quieter, "She told me."

"Next time you break up with your mate, I'm going to hunt you down myself before she does something else stupid involving heights. Got it?" Reece grinned, a scary grin, clearly meaning _every word_. "Good. Let's go. Hand me a piece, I'm starving."

I handed him a piece and settled back, shutting my eyes, keeping Nick's hand in mine. His soft hand. Funny how he and Reece took care of their hands so differently.

"How are we going to find the twins?" Nick said softly. I felt the mask tugged down and food offered, biting it, leaning against his side as I took the pizza slice and ate.

"We're going to not panic, breathe, and not panic." This was my plan, anyway. If I forgot any one of those things I would freak out here and now. Middle of New York. I'd freak out, race out the door, and run around in the broad daylight like a bit scary dog. Broad ...failing light, anyway, apparently it was getting late.

"We're going to find them." Reece said from the front, driving carefully, swearing as he muttered something about the wrong side of the road.

The drive was short, at least compared to how it felt going in, Nick and Reece's smells helping me keep the 'breathe and not panic' plan in full motion. One last thing I had to do. Get the twins. Okay. So there were other things, huge important things to do with diseases, funerals and the cure, but …

Suddenly I wished someone else could handle them. They probably would, I wasn't doing any of this on my own and if I tried I'd get kicked up the ass for it, but I had to pull my weight too.

We didn't even slow when we got to the security gate at Antonio's big place, just went right through, as if Antonio knew exactly when we got back. Maybe Clayton or Elena heard the car coming. I helped Reece cart the small piles of pizza boxes inside, smiling weakly as Antonio came out.

"Heard you may have caused some problems." He raised an eyebrow, but there was an actual smile there cutting through the sadness, one that he shared with both myself and Nick. "Good on you. Pizza for dinner?"

"I can't cook." I could barely smile, without wanting to panic, and he nodded.

"Your twins won't be hurt. If they wanted them dead, they'd be dead and left there. They aren't and they were taken with nappies, formula and clothing, so they'll be cared for till we get back." Antonio's soft voice, so strong in my head, so calm, did help somewhat. Nick took the boxes from me and headed inside with them while we stood outside and spoke. The thunder rumbled again in the distance, rain pouring down all over again, Antonio's voice lowering. "Was it hard to convince Nick?"

"He didn't really want to do it." I replied softly. "It was just … just him."

"Good." Antonio led me inside, hand on my arm, and we all flopped around the living room, the entire pack, except for the missing twins.

At least Elena's twins had been safe. I smiled again at Matt, tense, as he came to sit beside me. He'd done so well. Protecting the twins and Jeremy like that, even though he'd been out of his mind with fright, and still able to wolf down pizza.

No one spoke while we ate. There was a kind of comfort in this- so many of the pack here, and apparently Morgan, Karl and Noah would be joining us. Karl was in New York already, investigating something, while Noah and Morgan had to find a way to get over the state lines. The only person who should have been here, and who wasn't, was Daniella. No one mentioned her. No one even noticed she wasn't there. I suddenly felt bad for her. It was like she was the approved scapegoat right now, Nick could use her for it, we could use use her for it, even Reece was currently buying into it.

I read the paper in an attempt to find something to do, instead of freak out. The disease had spread and now the scientists confirmed it was a 'pandemic'. Not the 'swine flu' type either, this was Spanish influenza level, apparently, as antibiotics barely did a thing. So it wasn't the usual hysteria I saw on the American news. It was real. Whatever disease we'd had, had now spread to not only dogs and wolves, but apparently had mutated into the human version. I stared at the information.

"It's a bit of a coincidence..." Nick was sitting behind me now, his legs around my sides, reading over my shoulder.

"Mutated or was modified." Clayton muttered, prodding his foot at the word, shaking his head. "Not a coincidence. Starts off attacking supernaturals and then goes on to attack humans. Pet dogs was probably the only thing unexpected."

I blinked up at him. He was right. "So... this was planned?"

"They throw some disease out to attack us, any of us that are different, tell us we can have the cure if we join their cause or pay cash, either way they win, and then weaken the humans with the same disease." Clayton was picking up boxes as he spoke. He often looked like a 'fists first, think later' kind of guy if you knew him, or 'blonde model with no brains' if you didn't... so it was easy to forget how damn intelligent he was, how quick he always was to put things together, and that he was even a professor.

"Lillian had it." Nick said, quietly against my ear, Clayton's head twisting around. "They said that because she was weak, she got it. Did she get it from me?"

"Probably not." Jeremy spoke up. He sighed, leaned forward, rubbing his head. "It's not the same one you had. They had to release a whole new version if Clayton's theory is right."

"So they killed my mother?" I felt it, felt Nick's chest contract and expand against my back suddenly, as the grief welled back up inside him. His arms tightened around me as this realisation struck him. "I ...she was _getting better_." Before I could say a word, Nick had stumbled up, heading off, and Clayton hurried after him. Antonio shook his head when I went to get up, gently pulling me back down, an arm across my shoulder. I breathed out slowly.

It suddenly struck me that she had gotten sick at the exact same time as the disease exploded in the humans. I breathed in slowly, shutting my eyes, only now making the connections between her sickness and the disease itself. They had said she'd gotten better. Antonio had even come back to Stonehaven for a while, something he'd never have done if she was on her death bed, and then... he'd said she had a fever.

Like us, she'd gotten that fever. And she'd been too weak to fight it.

I opened my eyes as someone crawled into my lap, sleepy, Susie's belly all bloated from the pizza she'd eaten. I squeezed her tighter, curling up around her, Lily and Dominic already asleep near the little heater on the ground.

Elena sat down near them, turning the heater down a fraction, our eyes meeting. She must have guessed this was the case long before I did. She hadn't looked shocked, she just looked sad. Tired.

"So what about the twins?"

"Karl and Hope are going to be breaking into Rose's house tonight for information. Tonight or tomorrow." Elena replied. "Benicio Cortez is taking the body of Demetruis back and will be bringing the treatment straight to us, if all goes smoothly."

"But she's ...old. Why would you break into her house? We talked. She agreed to help. Maybe if I ..."

"Don't give me the helpless old lady bullshit. If he's spent a night with her then it might be enough. We're going to go directly in and you can talk with her another time." Clayton returned, cutting me off with a scowl, but his eyes went to the sleepy toddlers near him, his face softening. Funny how babies could make even the scariest person calm down. "Nick's going to need a few hours alone. I'll help you with these three."

Clayton and myself carried them upstairs, the three toddlers barely opening an eye, so content and trusting. Only Dominic checked, not surprisingly, but one glimpse of Clayton's curls beside his head and he was passing out again on his shoulder. There was no point bathing them tonight- they were already asleep, already past their bed time, we just changed them into their Pjs and tucked them into the bed.

Nick returned some time later that night, his eyes red, sliding into the room and looking at the bed. I lay there, watching him, as he hesitated. Then he turned around and headed out again.

For a long time nothing happened and I couldn't sleep, I just sat there, staring blankly at the door, wondering if I'd see him at all tonight. Feet came back. Two pairs of feet. Reece and Nick both came in now, Nick pulling me out of bed, arms capturing me.

"What?" I stood, sleepy, as lips found mine. Urgent lips. Nick was kissing me so hard, I swayed, having to shove him back just to breathe. "Nick?"

"Where's your clothing?"

I pointed at the suitcase I'd opened and Reece zipped it up. He already had his under his arm. Nick slipped his hand through mine, leading us down through the dark house, outside and down the long driveway. There was a smaller cottage near the gate and Nick pulled keys out of his pocket, slipping them in, opening the door.

"This is where I used to sleep." He opened the door, Reece heading in with the bags. "I wanted to spend the night with you two. I can't sleep."

I nodded, as his smile came, like he was trying to joke, but it faltered and vanished again. Nick wasn't going to be okay for a long time. Reece flipped on a lamp as he tossed the suitcases onto the floor, Nick pulling me in and shutting the door behind us.

"You get that this doesn't mean Anne and I are going to marry, yeah?" Reece fixed Nick with a look. "This is fun for us."

"Got that." Nick smiled sheepishly. "No more setting you two up. Except for this. If that's okay with you still, Liz?" He came up behind me, kissing the back of my neck, leaning against me.

"As long as you stop setting us up." I twisted around to kiss him, Reece coming up from behind. He tugged at the Pjs while Nick's lips found mine, kissing me with the desperation he'd had before, and it was more than just wanting sex. It was a lot more. I could see it, he needed this, maybe had needed it since Lillian had died. The intimacy. The trust between us. He needed the comfort I could give him.

We could give him, I realised, as Reece ran his hands down my side. It wasn't just me. But then he nuzzled against my neck and flopped on the couch nearby. "I'm standing guard for the first part. You two have fun." He winked at me.

"He isn't..."

"Not just yet." Nick's hands slid the long t-shirt up over my head, throwing it aside, his arms wrapping around me. For a long time we stood like that, bare chested against each other, his breathing deep. "I need you first. Then... you two can... but the three of us. Wait a few days, okay?"

I nodded, reaching up with my hands to cup his face, stroking Nick's tense face, fingers easing the curls out around his face. His smile was tense, stressed, and he came down for a kiss that was gentler, desperate almost, backing us up towards a door. I was lifted up, legs wrapping around his waist, and carried through to the bedroom.

Instead of letting him lead this, I shoved him onto the bed, wishing he'd given me some warning so I could ...dress. But I undressed as slowly as possible, as he lay there watching, his eyes following my hands. Once the panties were off, I crawled across the bed to him, undoing the pants and pulling them down his hips, eyes fixed in his eyes, sliding my palms up his thighs. Slowly. Very very slowly.

Nick grabbed my hands, tugging me up fast, rolling us over, his lips kissing my throat as he tried to kick off boxers with his hands pinning my arms above my head, grumbling about teasing. I almost laughed- he had to stop again, he couldn't get the boxers off his legs without the use of his hands- but he got them off far enough to get himself free. I wriggled loose, sliding off the bed away from his grabbing hands, standing there with my hands on my hips as he flopped and groaned. He grinned though, leaning up.

"You know, I don't need to chase you." Nick said, casually, kicking the boxers off the bed.

"Don't you?" I backed up again, as he slid a little closer, grinning. The hunt was as much fun as the end result. "I seem to be running."

"I have an apprentice now. I don't need to do all my hunting. I just get him to get it for me. Reece, get in here, she's teasing me. We're going to have to work together with this one." He growled, giving up the 'only me idea', but there was a hint of amusement there. Nick was enjoying it. His shoulders had relaxed, the lips twitching up, the grief gone as I distracted him. We _both_ distracted him.

I yelped as Reece came in, darting at me, and jumped across the bed, Nick's arms grabbing my legs and dragging me there. Reece grabbed my arms, tugging me on my back, the two of them holding me there as a hand slid between my legs, Nick groping me as he bent over me.

"Silly rabbit. Can't outrun two wolves." He nibbled against my neck. "We've got to show Reece your bunny panties, don't we?"

"Her what?" Reece laughed. He and Nick met eyes, briefly, and then Nick nodded. Reece leaned down to kiss me hard, Nick's body sliding down my belly, his mouth kissing and biting tender skin. I shut my eyes, breathing hard, struggling for the sake of being 'prey' still, completely turned on all over again as the two held me down. Technically I could have overpowered Nick. This wasn't the point. But I did struggle against Reece's hands on my arms, seeing as he was at full strength, and it amused him.

A tongue pressed up between my legs, dipping into me, making me gasp, Nick's teeth grazing the incredibly sensitive skin as he grinned up at me. "All wet. Tastes like prey too. Want to get that clothing off and have a taste, apprentice?"

Reece let go of my hands and I sat up, shoving them both back, only to be 'held down' by Nick. We were all breathing hard now, skin shiny with sweat in the dark, Reece standing between my legs, one knee holding them open, eyes in mine as he tugged his shirt off, throwing it aside, the light from the lamp coming through the door and hitting him just right. I couldn't tear my eyes off him, eyes following his hands as they reached for the pants, unbuttoning it and sliding the zipper down, his hands pushing them down his muscular legs and kicking them aside.

Nick kissed me, hard, possessive now, and I shut my eyes as I felt Reece yank my legs open and move to kneel between them, kissing slowly up my thighs. Nick released my mouth, his breathing hard against my skin, as he told Reece what to do with his mouth. How to do it. I writhed under Reece's mouth, legs tightening around his shoulders, moaning softly, Nick's eyes fixed in mine as he got his 'apprentice' to work my body up with just his mouth.

As I was just about to get the release my body screamed for, Nick told Reece to stop, and I growled, a long deep growl, trying to get my hands free so I could ...I didn't know. Hold him there.

"Think she's enjoying it." Nick laughed, a genuine laugh, pulling me up into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. "Maybe we better stop."

"Maybe." Reece agreed, wiping his face, looking pretty damn pleased with himself. He grinned, stood up, and Nick hopped off the bed. The two of them looked like they were ready to just wander out of there, even if they were aroused, just ...leave me to it. Reece glanced back at me. "Should we tie her up so she can't end it?"

"Don't you dare." I growled, standing, my legs weak. I grabbed for them, hands closing around both arms, tugging them. I had to be in charge here. Didn't I? I let go of their arms, shoved them into the living room, and shoved and locked the door in their faces. "Okay. You two leave. Like that. And I'll finish me."

That was probably not in their plans. Nick banged on the door, banged so hard that it shook, but it was Reece who broke it down. Accidentally, probably, but I giggled, hiding in the closet, going quiet as they moved the now broken door to one side.

"Where's the rabbit?"

The closet door was yanked open, Reece grinning down at me, lifting me up and dragging me stomach first onto the bed. Nick pounced, literally, grasping my hips as he pulled me open and pushed himself into me, thrusting hard, his hips grinding against mine over and over, teeth biting my shoulder hard. I was 'captured'. Reece slid over to my front, pushing me up.

"You want that end, huh?" Nick groaned, pulling himself out, and I felt him ease himself into me in the back, slowly, carefully, his arms wrapping around my waist. The pain of it returned, but it was just a tiny thing, Reece's body coming to push into me from the front. Someone kissed me, Reece I thought, but my eyes were shut and I felt my head get turned so Ncik could kiss me. No way in hell could I run now, with them on either side of me, their hips pushing up hard as they found a rhythem. It wasn't long before my body released, moaning against Nick's lips, feeling them twitch up for a moment. We couldn't speak now, the three of us, they just moved faster, unable to control themselves anymore, my body being pushed up and down, fast, skin rubbing against my back and my breasts, a second climax beating them easily within a few minutes.

Nick groaned behind me, pushing himself inside me as far as he could manage, hands tightening around my waist as his release came. Reece wasn't far behind, even able to work me up for a third climax, before he came, teeth sinking hard into my breast, Nick's arms holding me there till Reece was done.

I flopped against Nick, breathing hard, as Reece slid back a few inches, pulling out. It was all we could do, to flop sideways, legs tangled up, bodies slippery, our hearts racing and breathing slowing.

"I fucking love you two." I muttered, hearing Nick laugh, Reece's breathless laugh there, Nick turning me onto my back to kiss me hard.

"Love you too." He stroked my face, satisfaction all over it, eyes meeting Reece. "Good work."

"You too." Reece laughed, kissed my neck, and scowled at the bleeding bite mark he'd left behind. "Ah. Shit."

"Not the first time." I muttered. Now that I was spent, my body was collapsing into sleep, and I opened one eye. "Sleep for us all now, okay?"

"Sex and sleep? You two are spoiling me." Reece flopped back down, tugging the blankets over him, Nick snuggling into my side on the other side.

I checked though, made sure Nick was really okay, seeing no sign of tension or stress there now. He was sleepy, probably only just waiting for me to sleep before he tried it, like he usually did, and I sighed. Relaxed. It'd cheered him up a little, at least enough to sleep, and that was all I could hope for.

"Thanks." Nick murmured against my ear, his forehead against it. He didn't have to say why. I knew.

"Shh. Sleep now." Reece hissed.

I was nearly asleep, breathing slow, heart slow, when I felt Reece slide up a little and give Nick a shove.

"You." He hissed. There was no friendliness there, suddenly, and I had to force myself to stay 'sleeping'. "Nick."

"I'm awake. Shh." Nick whispered, sliding up. I felt him shift off the bed, Reece moving too, the two of them heading into the living room. I had to strain my ears just to hear the words then. "What's wrong?"

"The only reason I'm forgiving you is because she has. You do that again to her and it won't matter how fast she forgives you. It's your fault the twins are gone. Not hers. You know exactly how she deals with depression... you better snap out of it and make sure we get them back, before I forget that I was forgiving you for her." It was soft, Reece's voice, but there was a threat there now. "You got me? Don't you dare break up with her again. Or set us up."

"Yeah." Nick answered, quiet.

"Good."

Reece's feet came back to the bed, Nick close behind, the two of them sliding back in. I resisted the urge to snap out of the near-sleep and slap Reece silly. Or Nick. Instead, I fell asleep, mind confused with mixed feelings of gratitude towards Reece for trying to stand up for me and anger at him for threatening Nick. Right now. Tonight. When Nick was facing one hell of a day tomorrow.

Still... I felt safe, and I felt Nick ease into sleep beside me, Reece there too. I had to let it go. This was something between them now. I couldn't be the rescuer for them, I just had to hope they'd sort it out. I finally let myself fall asleep, eyes shutting, curled up and safe. I just wished I knew my twins were safe too.

Reece and Nick's voices woke me, soft, the two of them moving around the room. A shower was already running, Reece stripping off as he stepped into the room, Nick dressed and his hair damp. Neither of them seemed to be angry at each other, neither of them were glaring, they were relaxed, easy, maybe even more than yesterday. Men were funny creatures. It was like they just vented at each other, got it out, and then suddenly the world was good again.

I lifted my head, blinking sleepily. "How long have you two been up?"

"An hour. I figured you might need a rest." He sat down beside me, stroking my hair. "Got some clothes for you, all you need is a shower. Breakfast is there." Nick's eyes went to the side of the bed where there was a plate of food.

"I should have gotten you breakfast in bed. Not the other way around." I sat up, rubbing my eyes, guilt creeping into me. Shit. It was his nightmareish day. Not mine. _He_ should have slept in.

"I wanted to do something to pass the time." Nick's eyes dropped to the shoes he'd been trying to get on. He was half dressed already but he wasn't shaven yet, I noticed, I reached up to touch the stubble there. "Want to shave me?"

When I nodded, he smiled weakly, leaning down to kiss me as his whiskers scratched and tickled my face. Nick sighed, a long deep sigh against my lips, sliding closer so he could half lay over me. "Do I have to go?"

"I'm there with you." I stroked his face, gazing up at him, trying to ease him. He'd been there for me when I had to bury my parents. I'd be with him. "Every second. We can come home when you need to. Okay?"

Nick nodded, head flopping against my neck, and he lay down beside me as we waited for Reece to finish. Then I followed him into the shower and we showered, a quick one compared to usual, and I shaved him.

At the big house, people were only just starting to wake, and we had got there in time to get the triplets ready ourselves. No one seemed to notice that the three of us had stayed overnight in the little gatehouse Nick liked, thankfully, Clayton was in one of the rooms dressing in a black suit, Jeremy in Antonio's room, and the triplets given three tiny black outfits. It seemed strange to dress them like that. Matt too, he wanted to come, and we let him dress in jeans and a black top and jacket. No one should have cared, he wasn't even ten yet. But we all had to put on those face masks. It was now a law, apparently, that everyone wear these stupid things if they weren't sick. I wasn't sure how we'd convince the toddlers but when they saw Matt doing it they seemed to accept it.

The funeral itself was going to be here. Only a few of us would be downstairs- the rest would stay upstairs, it was easier this way, but Elena and Clayton had already cleared out a large room downstairs for the funeral and set it up. Reece and Elena would be upstairs with Kate and Logan, working on business. The rest of us had to stay downstairs and deal with the funeral.

For once, even if I was petrified for my babies, eve n if I wanted to rush out the front gate and hunt their kidnappers down, I was relieved to only deal with this one thing. This funeral was going to be hard enough.

Nick sat in the bedroom he'd taken me out of, stunned, all laughter and smiles gone now. Any good we'd done with Nick last night, getting him to laugh, relax and play, it'd probably gone the second he'd woken up. He was back to being tense, white faced, not speaking to anyone. Clayton stayed close to him.

They were having the service first and then burying her. Antonio had planned this with one of Charlie, her younger son, and the two of them moved around the room, placing photos and flowers around, neither speaking. There was no hostility there though. Just their grief.

Nick, the kids and Clayton went outside, Nick couldn't come in yet, so Jeremy and myself helped Antonio as best I could, getting the right amount of chairs out. Get the slide show files and music to the right person. The funeral people had come here to help, thankfully, we just had to set it up and let them go from there. With only half an hour the time seemed to fly, so before we knew it, cars were parking outside and chairs were filling up. I saw Nick and Clayton were back, the three toddlers sitting in a corner playing with toys, Matt on a chair between the big men. Antonio's hand clasped my shoulder briefly as he sat down, a space between him and Nick for me, Jeremy on Antonio's other side.

Once everyone was sitting, the funeral director people brought her in. Lillian looked like she was sleeping, looked like it, but I could smell the difference. Smell that she was no longer breathing, that her heart was gone, smell the faint decay of death around her. No amount of make up or chemicals in her could hide this from a werewolf. We knew death when we saw it.

Speeches started. Someone was filming it, luckily. I doubted he'd remember any more of it than I had. That was how it went, for the most part, and the only sign of hostility came when Kenneth came up. He didn't need to say it- the looks he shot at us as he spoke about Lillian, the anger, it was obvious who he blamed. Who he hated. I knew he'd cause trouble later. Right now though, it was Nick I had to worry about, his head not lifting once from the floor. Clayton's hand was on his leg, my hand in his.

Antonio was the last. This got Nick's attention, somewhat, as he stared up. There was this expression in his face, like the one he'd had when he thought I'd died, that haunted grief there. No tears. I didn't need to see tears to know he was breaking apart inside. He'd wanted Lillian for his entire life, decades of knowing about her and never having felt like it was okay to. Then suddenly she was there, Antonio had brought her home, and Nick got her. For a few precious months he'd had and bonded to his mother like he'd wanted.

Now she'd died. All because of the stupid world we lived in, the stupid supernatural world, with some power hungry resistance throwing a disease out in an attempt to kill off humans. Lillian had been too weak to fight it.

Tears pricked my eyes, tears for what Nick had lost, and I squeezed his hand hard. Lily came to sit in his lap, quiet, Dominic and Susie under our legs now, sitting there, as if they were starting to understand. Maybe they did. They were getting older and learning so much these days.

When the speaking was over, Antonio moved to sit on my other side, I gasped his hand with my free one, as the slide show came on. A soft song, one I barely knew, came on as I saw them. Antonio and Lily, teenagers, looking so young and innocent and happy. Sixteen year olds.

He didn't shut his eyes once. Stared forward, taking in every part of her life he'd never been able to see, only shutting them when it and the songs were over.

Then a movie came on. An old movie, with an old song, Lillian and Antonio dancing to this song. It was such an old movie, I wasn't sure what kind of technology they'd need for this, but there they were. Antonio and Lillian. Probably only sixteen, wearing a suit and dress, dancing. Even Kenneth's open hostility faded for a while as he stared at the black and white video.

"_In the still of the night_

_I held you_

_Held you tight_

_'Cause I love_

_Love you so_

_Promise I'll never_

_Let you go_

_In the still of the night..."_

It ended with them hugging, laughing, so happy with each other, the very picture of teenagers in the wonder of first love.

There was a long pause, silence, and then the person running the memorial allowed people to come up and say goodbye before she was buried.

One by one, people went up, Nick pulling me along. Matt was with Clayton, he didn't want to come close without him, so we took the triplets up and I tried to explain to them. They did seem to get it, they didn't ask a lot of questions, Dominic's eyes in Nick's face when he was lifted up. There was a twist of unhappiness, his face screwing up, and then he burst into tears and reached for Antonio. Antonio held onto him, hugging him close.

Nick left for a while then, as the rest of Lillian's family and friends said their goodbyes, Clayton and Matt hurrying after him. Matt was struggling too, I realised, and I got why. He'd never seen his mum buried. This wasn't just Lillian's funeral for him, it was reminding him of where his own family was.

After a while Nick returned and joined Antonio at the front. Charlie and Kenneth were waiting, the casket closed, and the four of them carried her out slowly to a waiting car. The rest of us got into cars and followed.

She was buried in a graveyard a short drive away, lowered down slowly, and we stood there a long time after she was lowered down. Antonio couldn't move. He stood there, staring down at her, Jeremy's hand on his shoulder. Stood there for over an hour. Clayton refused to leave without them though so we took the triplets and Matt for lunch, Nick barely speaking, coming back only when Jeremy called and said Antonio was ready to come home. Three hours had passed by, by that time.

Jeremy and Antonio got the triplets into their car and we got into the car with Clayton, tugging the horrible white masks off when the doors were shut and no one could see us, Nick leaning against me heavily as he breathed in and out, fast shallow breathing, his heart racing. Matt was in the front seat with Clayton now, his face white too, eyes fixed on the spot Lillian had been put.

"Elena's got food waiting." Clayton said from the front as he pulled out. Food. Good. Comforting.

There were a lot of sick. I suddenly realised this, as we drove back slowly, saw that some houses were marked 'Quarantined' by tape. Some apartment buildings were even slid off. The news said to stay inside if you had a fever- the government had doctors going out to buildings, to inspect you, and to bring you food or water.

In other words, this was it. This was the huge one. I saw people walking down the street with trolleys packed with cans and water, saw an argument outside an apartment building, saw an ambulance outside a building as they wheeled someone out under a blanket. Lillian wasn't going to be the only one too weak to handle the fever.

Nick leaned against my shoulder, breathing still shallow and fast, and I focused on him instead. I slipped the seatbelt off and crawled into his lap. He shut his eyes.

Clayton sped up a little once we got out of the inner city, eyes going back to me, muttering something about seat belts. Matt's expression was what got me back into my seat and in a seat belt, like he was suddenly afraid I'd get killed, and I reached out to squeeze his shoulder as he sat there. He was shaking too.

"Did you see that dead body going into the ambulance?" He asked, quiet, and Clayton nodded.

"It's going to be hard for a lot of people. That's why we're going to get the cure."

"Why aren't they in hospital?"

"They're full." Clayton spoke.

Now that I thought about it, the streets were emptier, quieter, this hush over New York that I'd never seen before. Even out in the outskirts, out here, it was usually busy. Not anymore.

Nick got out when we got home, heading for the gatehouse without a word to us, and Clayton helped me get the toddlers out of the car when it was clear Antonio needed to make the same quick exit.

"Go check on Nick." Jeremy said quietly, coming around, eyes going to Clayton. "He might need you right now."

Clayton nodded and handed Lily to me, heading off after his best friend, and Jeremy helped me get them inside. Elena gestured to me when they were eating in the kitchen.

I followed her into a study, from the looks of it, and she sat down on a sofa there

"How did it go?"

"Nick's going to need some time. Antonio too." I flopped down beside her, sighing, rubbing my eyes. "It was peaceful. No attacks, nothing, just … a funeral. Peaceful. Sad."

"Like they are." She spoke softly, quiet, reaching out for me and finding my hand. Elena squeezed it and we sat there, staring at the room. "Karl and Hope managed to find some evidence that it might have been Rose who took the children."

My head swung up and she met my gaze. "But I talked with her."

"Yes, I know. It may be that they were taken to her. Or perhaps they were meant to go to Demetruis. She isn't there now though, she got stuck in Washington when the quarantine broke out. They'll know more tonight."

"They're breaking in again?"

Elena nodded. "Karl doesn't like it but they didn't get a lot of time last night. Hope is certain that they got in and out undetected so once more should be fine. The house is empty- no one is living there for the moment- it should be safe enough. Benicio Cortez spoke to Rose. She's arranging a funeral for Demetruis in the city she's isolated in."

A funeral. So he really was dead. "I can't believe that's how he died. Lying there covered in owls."

"He had a heart attack."

Like Lillian.

My eyes flew open, suddenly, and I stared at Elena. "You're sure?"

She nodded. "Why?"

Lillian had a heart attack. A sudden one. Her heart had never sounded strange before that night .What if she'd seen it? "What if Lillian saw the thing we saw?"

"Did she mention it?"

I shook my head but this didn't squash it for me. Maybe she wouldn't have. Lillian might have thought she'd seen something that wasn't really there. I stood up, legs shaking, and headed out. I wasn't even sure where I was going.

My thoughts were distracted by the sound of a car pulling up outside. I stared out the window nearby, seeing the doors open. Daniella hopped out one side, with two familiar women get out the passenger doors, red hair and dark brown hair flashing in the late afternoon light.

Pav and Vi were here.

I was out the door and down the big steps in a second, grabbing them both, the three of us hugging, and laughing, Daniella dragged into the mix. The last four survivors of the ex-Alpha... Just as we'd killed off his father.

Or his father had killed himself off. Honestly, I had no clue.

I stepped back, taking in Pav. She had been sick recently, I knew that much, but she looked fine now, face flushed, skin darker from time in the sun, her dark brown hair just as long and silky as I'd remembered it. That incredible hair Indian women had- and now Pav had it. Same clear blue-green eyes from her mother. And Vi, even though I'd seen her just a few months before, she looked healthier too now. Or maybe she was just happy.

"When did you... how!" I couldn't believe it, stepping back. "How the hell did you two even get in the state?" Or in America? If they were freaking out as much as I suspected...

"We have a job working as nurses here for a month. Roman has been suggesting we come visit for some time now the boys are eating normal food." Pav smiled, embracing me all over again. "Daniella got us the job."

Daniella smiled a reluctant smile as my gaze turned to her, startled as I hugged her too, hugging back stiffly. "I just mentioned that I knew a couple of nurses at work... they've taken over contracts with the hospitals and employment." I felt her freeze, felt her head twist up, and followed her gaze.

Reece stood there, arms crossed, staring down at her with that intense stare I sometimes caught in Nick's face. It wasn't attraction, not completely, there was anger there too now. He only came down when I let her go.

"Thought you said you slept with Nick."

I opened my mouth to correct him but Daniella beat me too it, her eyes narrowing.

"I said I _slept _with him. He was drunk and I know people can drown in vomit. I didn't say I had sex. And it's not your business who I sleep with." She snapped, pushing past him, shoving him aside. It wasn't necessary, there was plenty of room, but he let her go past. Then he growled, hit the rail, and stormed off into the garden, face dark with anger.

"Did they break up?" Vi's eyes went from Daniella to Reece, confused. Hadn't she figured that out? I had to admit, with their fights, it was hard to tell. But they had been broken up for months now.

"Yeah."

She shrugged, grabbed me in a tight spinny hug again. "So where are the three monsters! Pav has talked about nothing else the entire flight."

Pav flushed, shot Vi a look, who grinned at her and blew her a kiss. I led them inside, their bags dropped in the hall when they caught sight of the three toddlers.

Vi headed straight for them, Pav a little shy, but the toddlers were anything but shy about these two. They'd seen photos of them, probably remembered Vi more or less, and Dominic's shyness only extended to men at the moment. I snorted as I watched him grin at the women, big brown eyes and warm golden hair making Pav sigh, with his grin that reminded me of Nick far too much, his personality and charm shining. Three years old and already charming strange ladies? Oh boy. They'd be fetching him cookies within a few hours. It wasn't just him. Susie and Lily, standing there in their matching dress-and-pants sets and their darkening curls, blue eyes...if the three of them worked together this well, it'd be ice cream _and_ cookies. Maybe I should have rescued Pav and Vi. Instead I left the triplets to it.

Antonio came down and embraced both, pale faced, his eyes still a bit warm around the skin, but he looked happy enough to see them. There was a place upstairs they could sleep, my room, Antonio mentioning that some of us might have to sleep in the gate house from now on, and when he said it he looked straight at me.

I guessed we weren't as secretive as we intended. And he just looked amused, not particularly upset, like this wasn't a shock at all. Maybe he didn't know how much Reece was getting involved in it?

This wasn't important, I realised as I saw Reece come back in, shutting my eyes and trying to breathe. I headed for him and pulled him into a room. When I told him about how Demetruis had died, he took only a second to connect it to Lillian's heart attacks. The two of us knew how it felt to see that thing.

"Think she saw it?"

"I don't know." I admitted.

Reece flopped down into a chair and shook his head slowly, breathing out, the reality of this sinking down on him. "So, you got a disease, you got Lillian and Demetruis having a heart attack, and some weird fucking monster in your house."

"And the disease is affecting almost every race."

"Yeah. Except witches." I sat down beside him, rubbing my forehead, not looking up as Vi and Pav came in. They'd probably heard us.

My suspicions were confirmed when they sat down and had Reece fill them in. My head was starting to hurt.

"So you think this is all connected?" Vi asked, slowly, her accent thicker now that she was concentrating on it. "I would agree."

"Why go for her though?" I got the answer as soon as I'd asked the question. She'd been alone with the twins. Every time someone came for the twins at Forestwatch, that thing showed up, except that once we'd been there without them. "They were with her. The twins. Alone."

Reece stiffened as he nodded. "It could be. We don't know what it is. We've got to get Jamie to explain it."

"We'll help." Pav said softly. Her pale eyes went from me to Reece. "We came intending on helping. Daniella's already looking."

"She's what?" Reece froze. He stood up. "Where is she?"

"Gone." Vi raised an eyebrow as he vanished out of the room. "Is he still in love with her?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I sighed, a long deep sigh, rubbing my temples as my head started to ache. "Okay. So we've got to find Jamie."

"And tell Elena." Pav reminded me, nudging me. "Your Alpha."

"Yes. Jeremy might know where she is. She's usually doing shows somewhere. But with this disease, it might be hard to get to her."

"This will be no problem. They can not watch the border all over." Vi dismissed that with a shake of her hand. "We will greet Elena and then talk. You go make sure Reece has not driven off to find Daniella."

I nodded and we went our separate ways.

Reece wasn't hard to find. He wasn't chasing Daniella, he was in the garden, staring at the sky as it got dark, his arms crossed. He glanced over his shoulder at me, a tight smile, reaching out to pull me close. "You think she isn't my mate?"

"That's what she thinks." I didn't say yes or no. He scowled and hugged me closer, chin finding my head.

"Bloody crazy, you women, all of you."

I didn't disagree. We were pretty crazy sometimes. We stood there a long time, while Reece tried to process what was going on in his head, his eyes fixed on the sky. Watching the clouds race overhead.

Running feet made us both turn and I saw Clayton, face red with anger, looking more or less ...out of it. Like he was about to pass out but was so angry that it was temporarily suppressed.

"Your fucking idiotic mate..." He panted, nearly tipped over, Reece grabbing him. "Has drugged me and gone for your babies. Bring him back so I can hit hi-" Clayton went limp, whatever Nick had slipped him hitting him hard, Reece swearing as the heavy bulk nearly tipped them both over.

I blinked, Reece's horrified eyes meeting mine, and we took off for the house with Clayton's unconscious body between us. This was not good.


	25. Shock

I took off for the gatehouse the second Reece had lugged Clayton through the front doors, ignoring his call to come back, my heart pounding in my ears. I knew it was probably to do with Reece's anger last night. Knew Nick was reacting because of his grief, not because he actually had a good plan.

The room looked like a small whirlwind had hit it. Clayton had not been drugged quietly. It looked like he and Nick had gone for it for a while, or something, the couch knocked over, a lamp shattered, a picture frame knocked down, books all over the place from the shelf nearby, the rug crinkled and half pushed up against the wall where it must have slid under someone. In the tiny kitchen there was juice and ...sleeping pills. A box of them, the box scrunched up and maimed by someone's fist, probably Clayton figuring out why he was starting to feel strange. I could almost see it, Clayton starting to feel strange, checking the kitchen, finding this hidden carelessly somewhere obvious, and going straight at Nick. No mercy.

At some point Nick must have gotten out and Clayton came for us instead. Or maybe he expected me to pick up where he'd left off. I had no issues with this and followed Nick through the bedroom, hopping out a window he must have used, looking around.

It wasn't hard to see where he'd gone. The rain and the soft ground had made for an easy trail of deep footprints. The trail led past the gates, along some distance, till it went into a small patch of forest between the big properties. There'd been a car here and he'd pulled away in a hurry, skidding a bit on the wet road, and had vanished.

He must have _planned_ this, I realised with a shock, planned this to the extent of concealing a car out here. Nick? Planning to run away and hunt down something? I knew he liked to get involved when we did stuff like this but he was usually the one who happily followed orders. He wasn't usually the one who tried to take the lead. In fact, I had the feeling Nick actually hated taking the lead outside the bedroom, he wasn't a natural fighter. It was just showing how messed up he was feeling right now- he wasn't thinking clearly.

"He is gone then?" Vi asked, beside me, making me jump.

"Looks that way." I blinked. Why hadn't I heard her? I breathed in, slowly, deep, and shut my eyes as I realised something huge was missing again. When? I had no clue. Now that I thought about it, I hadn't noticed their scents earlier either. The treatment thing had already worn off. Hearing, smell, strength. All of it was gone.

"Elena says you must come back now." She pulled at me and I followed. I didn't argue or resist- if I did, Vi would notice the weakness. I had to hide it. I had to be apart of this.

We went back in through the front gates and up the long driveway, quiet, my eyes fixing on the cars and wondering if one of them was automatic. I didn't really know how to drive yet, even now, but I knew enough to work an automatic.

Antonio was standing there, following my eyes to a car, but he didn't say a word. Just took my hand and led me inside, leading, Vi jogging in.

Once we were in the dining room, I flopped down, trying to think. So he was in a car now? Now where would he go?

"What the hell is he thinking?" Antonio swore.

Vi got onto the phone to Daniella letting her know, Elena trying to get in touch with Nick. Clayton was slumped against the table.

"It was a sleeping pill." I told Jeremy as he inspected Clayton. "Found a box of them."

"His metabolism should work through it in a few hours then." He stood back, eyes going back as Jamie came in.

Jamie? I saw it, Vi, Pav and myself fix eyes on her like predators. I guess that was what we were, technically, but to see Pav- the gentle one of us all- fix that gaze on anyone right now almost made me snort. Jeremy's eyes followed Vi to Jamie.

"How about you get the triplets down here for dinner?" He suggested, voice soft, but I knew he'd caught onto their expressions. "While we figure out what to do."

Jamie nodded, backing off again.

"This might be my fault." Reece muttered, sheepish, his eyes meeting mine as he glanced around. "I told him it was his fault. The twins."

No one spoke for a while. Vi said something to Pav, about getting their bags unpacked while she tried to get through to Daniella, and the two of them vanished upstairs when Antonio nodded a fraction.

"He'd probably have decided that on his own." I said finally, quietly. I wasn't sure if that was true or not but Reece relaxed somewhat as he shot me a grateful look. "But we know where he's going, sort of. He's going for the twins. We've just got to stop him. Are the airports closed?"

"Almost closed." Antonio was opening his laptop as he spoke. "There's an allowance for travel still, with a doctor's permission, but not many people are bothering except to get home. Some states are cut off completely. Some aren't."

Where the hell would he start though? Rose? I hadn't told him Karl and Hope had been investigating her, not exactly, but he would have just had to ask anyone to find that out.

"Antonio, go with Reece to the airport. Try and sniff him out there." Elena's eyes met mine as she saw me inching backwards. "Not you."

"Why the hell not?" I snapped.

"Because you're more likely to join him than stop him." She replied, crossing her arms. "Stay put."

So what if I was? I wanted to ask this but I didn't, aware how childish that'd sound, so I nodded. Wondered about whether I could drive one of those cars once everyone wasn't looking. Reece hugged me, muttering something about getting Nick back, and I hugged him back. But my mind was in other places. Already chasing Nick, already two steps ahead of him, wishing I'd thought of what he was doing right now. I was worried about him, more than I usually was, but at the same time... he was doing exactly what I should have done. What I would have probably done if Lillian hadn't died.

"We will take the babies upstairs and play." Vi's voice came back now, as she came back down, her eyes going straight for mine. She had some plan, I saw, some purpose in this. It wasn't just because they were melting her heart. When I hesitated, she grasped my hand, adding, "And make sure Anne remains with us. Okay?"

Elena nodded, still on the phone, Jeremy's eyes fixed on us. I let Vi drag me out of the room and guided her though the big house to where the triplets got their playroom, pretending as if I could hear them, hoping that I was right and they'd be there. If not then I'd have to explain why I was pretending to hear with a wolf's ears when I couldn't do that anymore... and right now, right at this moment, I _couldn't_ admit I was back to being weak.

After a minute I didn't need to pretend. Vi heard them and no longer needed guidance, heading straight for the playroom, Pav already in there. Jamie glanced up as Vi pulled me through the door, Pav shutting it behind us, raising an eyebrow as she stood up. She wasn't an idiot. She might not have known exactly what we wanted but anyone who was paying attention would have seen the look Vi gave her.

"What is this creature that Anne and Reece have seen?" She met Pav's eyes, Pav went to lock the door, Jamie staring at both.

"I wasn't allowed to know." Jamie replied, soft, glancing back at the triplets who were crowded around a little table covered in crayons. I wondered if she was saying this because they were there and nudged Vi gently.

"We should get the triplets out of here."

"Ask your ghosts." Vi ignored me. She had a purpose now. "Find out."

"It doesn't work like that." Jamie crossed her arms, fixing Vi with the kind of look you'd expect from a aunt, or a teacher, or someone who was very convinced they were older and wiser. It kind of looked like that too- Vi might have been in her mid twenties by now but she looked seventeen. A haughty stubborn seventeen year old. The crazy mass of red curls around her face and the freckles didn't help. The look didn't work on her though- Vi glared right back.

"Then make it work." No explanation, no pleading, just an order. "Get this Lillian. Talk to someone dead. Someone who can explain."

A threat too, I realised, and stepped forward to grasp Vi's arm gently. She ignored me as I tried, "Calm down."

"Fine. I'll try but I haven't been able to do much Can I go to do it?" She was looking past Vi to the door. "I don't do this in front of people."

"Take the toddlers, Anne." Vi turned to me and I blinked. She moved closer, voice soft. "We are not pack. Jeremy will be more angry with you if you stay."

"You're not going to threaten her, are you?" I blinked at her, Jamie's head twisting up, a little startled. "She's not..."

"Vi..." Pav stepped forward now, a little taken back herself, reaching out to grasp her wife's arm gently on the other side. "Calm down. Anne is right. Everyone here cares or they wouldn't be here."

"She is not talking, Anne has not been helped, and I do not know her. I do not trust anyone that I do not know yet. I will handle it. Take them, both of you." She opened the door, shooing Lily, Susie and Dominic out. Straight into Jeremy.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow as Vi fixed him with a challenging stare, going past her to Jamie. "Friendly chat?" I wondered how much he'd actually heard. When he fixed me with that same calm look, my cheeks flushed, feeling guilty. Maybe he'd followed us up. It wouldn't have surprised me. His eyes went to Pav who got the same expression I did. "Pav, take the three down for dinner. Then we'll all talk. _Together_." He glanced back to Vi, the only one who didn't look guilty, daring her to argue. "And we'll wait till you return."

When she didn't, Pav did as she was told, heading away with the toddlers. Jamie hadn't broken a sweat, which was saying something for a woman being threatened by a werewolf, she just shrugged as his eyes went up and down her. Looked pretty relaxed, actually, as if she'd felt not at all concerned that an angry Russian werewolf was about to 'talk' with her.

Pav returned in a hurry and Jeremy shut the door quietly.

"Elena sends her apologies- she's on the phone to Cortez. Working. I'll tell you what we've found out in a moment." He sat down on one of the beds in the room and waited for the rest of us to sit. Only Vi and Jamie remained standing, both of them finding a wall to lean against, Vi's arms crossed, her hostile energy not giving way. Jeremy's gaze went from her to Jamie and then back to Vi. "Is there a reason you're threatening my girlfriend?"

Jamie's lips twitched but she didn't say a word, just crossed her own arms, her eyes moving to an empty part of the room. I had to guess this meant that we weren't alone now.

"She is not explaining this creature Anne saw."

"This doesn't explain why you're taking it personally." Jeremy said, soft, but his eyes were fixed on Vi with a strange intensity. "You two are always welcome, always, but why are you really here?" His eyes met Pav's eyes as he added, "Elena doesn't believe this is about the job."

"It's about Anne." Pav said from where she sat. She smiled a small smile when Antonio's dark eyes met hers, his face softening, the trust between them apparently still there. "Vi, can I explain?"

Vi nodded, jaw clenched, moving to stand beside me.

"We're the only survivors-"

"-Out of one hundred and sixty eight women-" Vi added, voice hardening at the number, ignoring Jeremy's expression. "I counted."

"-and when we heard she'd had her babies taken again, after everything you told me what had been going on, Vi spoke with Roman. He agreed that we should come and help her."

Jeremy tensed, sitting up straighter. "This is an insult to Elena, you know, the Russian Alpha sending you."

"This has nothing to do with Elena." Vi snapped. "He did not send us. We sent ourselves. We survive and we take care of each other. Now it seems Lillian died in the same way this De... De..."

"Demetruis." I said, quietly, flinching at Lillian's name. She'd only been buried today.

"Demetruis died. No one speaks of this creature. No one has spoken of the heart attack until now, have they? No one is out looking for the twins." Vi continued, ignoring Antonio's expression of grief, her mind fixated on the problem instead of on him.

"Yes, they are. Karl and Hope are-"

"Breaking into a house. I hear this and I know what hunting is. This is _not_ hunting." Vi snapped at Jeremy. She may have liked him another time but right now? "Anne is forbidden from looking for the babies or for Nick. I am sorry that there was a funeral today. It is tragic but it will be more so if those babies are never seen, yes? The man is dead. Why are you not spread out, looking?"

"We don't know where to look." I muttered. The idea that I'd never see my babies...

"We _are_ looking." Jeremy replied. "Cortez has contacted Rose, their grandmother, and she has dedicated her family in the search as well. He has the original people who tried to take the twins and is already looking, on behalf of Anne, into who they were going to sell them to."

I shut my eyes, feeling that hopelessness return, that 'I didn't know what to do' sense that drove me nuts. You couldn't track a car. The smells in Stonehaven hadn't been of mutts. I didn't know where to look anymore. I loathed magic, I really did, but … "Isn't there a spell someone can use?"

"Paige and Savannah are trying. The twins are apart of our pack and we're not giving up. We've just got to think." I felt Jeremy's hand on my knee, squeezing, and for the first time it didn't comfort me. It didn't bring back hope. The longer I sat here, the longer I did as I was told – 'stay put, don't look, don't leave'- the more I felt like I was letting them down.

Vi growled, her heart racing, her eyes ignoring Jamie now. I felt the floor tremble somewhat as she started to pace. "These are under our protection also. You search how you must and we search how we must."

Vistopped pacing and I opened my eyes to see her stop somewhere near Jamie's back, her arms uncrossing, her eyes meeting Pav's eyes for a moment. "Jeremy, I am sorry. Anne has no idea."

"For what? Abou..." Jeremy flinched suddenly, Pav's hand dropping as he glanced back. "What -" He didn't even get the words out. Whatever she'd injected him with worked so fast that he was already slumping down, sliding off the bed legs first, flopping onto the ground, his eyes rolling back. Pav shifted back, dropping a syringe, and her eyes went to Jamie. 

Jamie stood up straight, sudden, more than ready to fight. She glared at Pav, her face white with rage as her gaze went over Jeremy's still body, eyes narrowing. "Don't you dare. Just because I'm-" I saw it a second before Jamie felt it. Vi had one in her hand, her arm holding Jamie still against her, Pav jumping forward to hold Jamie still as Vi forced it into her.

Jamie slumped down within seconds, Pav carefully lowering her onto the floor beside Jeremy.

"What the hell are you two doing?"

"Curing them." Vi replied. "Sedating. Both."

"What? We don't have it yet!" They'd gone mad, I realised, or they weren't who they said they were. Sometimes I wasn't sure anymore.

"No, you didn't. We have been here for six months." Vi scowled as she heard feet coming up the stairs, jumping across to the door, locking it fast. "We have stolen it. Clayton will wake soon, cured, no longer needing injections. Nick is cured. Daniella has taken him somewhere safe. Your triplets will be fine."

I stared at her. Completely stunned. Pav was tying up Jeremy and Jamie, not so much to restrain them as to keep them on the beds, Jeremy's body already starting to convulse. She didn't look the least bit startled- it was like she knew exactly what was going to happen.

"Nick? Clayton? _Cure_...?" I heard something running up the stairs. Matt rushing past, Kate and Logan not far behind.

Vi narrowed her eyes at me, holding a finger to her mouth, warning me to stay quiet. "You are all too distracted. So we come to repay Jeremy for rescuing us. We have no connection to this Lillian, we do not need to worry about the triplets. Pav, do it, I hear Elena coming."

I felt Pav grasp me hard, harder than she ever had, forcing something into my arm, something that stung as it went in. It felt like heat was rushing through my body, burning the veins, as if I'd been bitten... and then the world went black.

Not for long though. Dreams came. Dreams I hadn't had since I had been bitten the first time. Blood lust, and rage, and the hunt. Maybe they were more intense than before, maybe, because now I couldn't hide from the fear for my twins, couldn't hide from the pain of their loss, or the fear that this was it. That this time I'd never see them again. Rage flooded me, deep primal rage, rage at the world and at myself for not reacting the way a wolf should. Rage for Lillian's death. That I'd failed them. I wanted blood. I tasted blood, sometimes mine, sometimes not, felt my body rage and shake, though after a while it felt like it wasn't my body anymore. Like I'd separated from it- I was just observing it, feeling it from a distance, like it was a puppet and I was just connected to the jerking. Like the dreams were happening to it- I was just on the outside of the bubble.

Then suddenly something pulled me back, back into the pain, into the agony, into the grief for Lillian, for the twins, the desire for blood, to take revenge the way a wolf _should _when someone threatened her pups. A soft voice, gentle, hands stroking aching limbs and muscles I'd forgotten I had, voices starting to bleed into the dreams.

"Not long. She's waking." Pav's voice echoed around my head, as the dreams faded, echoed over and over as if it was bouncing around the skull, breaking apart the nightmares of blood and hunt and rage, those hands belonging to her. I smelt it. Smelt her, right there, this smell that had only and could only belong to her. When she spoke again, it felt like it'd been hours since the last sounds, and these seemed clearer. Closer. "How long have we got?"

"A hour."

It was a huge effort to open my eyes and when I did, I breathed in slowly, deeply, breathing in the mingled scents of Pav and Vi nearby. There was no mistaking them now. Pav was anxious, stressed, Vi was focused on her with that intense affection she had for her.

"Ah, there you are." She smiled her tense smile as Vi's eyes found mine. "You are cured. Congratulations."

"...ho..." I coughed, the words scratching my throat, feeling the rough plastic of a waterbottle pressed against my lips. Pav gently tipped it, careful, my head against her lap in the back seat of a car. "How?"

"We have been here six months. When we found out you went missing and your children were at thrreat and how they came to ...be... we came. Searched for you. Found warehouses. Did not find you." She scowled as she slid into the back seat, pulling my legs over her waist. "Stay lying down. You will need a few minutes more for your fever to go."

"You came?"

"You ran away. Of course we did." Pav smiled softly down at me, tipping the water onto a cloth and ran it across my skin, the cool water feeling incredible. I realised my skin was still hot when the cold water met it, flinching, but she ignored that. "Daniella got in contact with us and let us know what was happening. The four of us have to protect each other."

"But... cure?" I tried to sit up, Pav shoving me back down, shaking her head. "It has addictive... stuff. I can't..."

"The treatment does. We finally found where it was made and when we got everything we needed, we set it on fire, the warehouse, destroying all their files, stole all their computers and shipped them to Russia. A werewolf in our pack hacked the computers and started to trace what we'd taken." Pav explained. When she offered me more water I didn't refuse, just gulped it down, my skin starting to cool. "It took a while."

"When we got it Pav's father did it in secret. We do not trust the Cabal. We set the warehouses on fire. We have left this with Elena. She will wake soon and will find a letter and all she needs. From there she decides who to share this with. Not this Sorcerer group. We owe _your_ pack, not them." Vi's hands rubbed my legs as she waited. "I will start for the airport now. Daniella and Nick waits."

I sat up then, too sudden for Pav to stop me, my head spinning at the unwanted motion. "Nick?"

"Cured Clayton and met Daniella in a car outside. He is cured now." Vi grinned. It was the first grin I'd seen on her face for a long time. "I was very angry with him when you vanished. He found us though. Very clever, your mate, heard we'd been seen and hunted us down without telling you. Now I forgive him."

"How do you feel?" Pav asked, reaching across with the wet cloth.

"Hot. Numb." Shocked, was a better term, I wasn't sure how to take this. "Nick didn't tell me."

"I told him what I would do if he did. We had to be sure it worked. He has been cured for a week now. He made us test on him first."

A week? He'd been normal all this time? I shut my eyes, trying to think, realising ...he wouldn't have noticed me through the glass, if he hadn't the 'normal' werewolf hearing, and catching me like that? Falling on the glass? It would have been nearly impossible for a human to do that. I hadn't even thought about it.

"So where is he?"

"Waiting at the airport. We have an address. All profit from the treatments are going to this account, at this address, and we're going to find the person. It wasn't Demetruis. He might have gotten a cut but he didn't get paid directly." Pav added, "This account also paid the bounty for the twins. The exact amount for the twins left the account a day after they were taken from you. So we're going straight there."

"Just us? What about magic?" I saw Vi scowl at that.

"We have thought of this. I do not like it." She muttered as she made her way into the busy airport. "Savannah and Adam have agreed to remain quiet and let Elena decide what to do after. They wait for us in Miami."

People who weren't sorcerers, in other words, and probably only trusted because Savannah came with us to hunt down Aaron a few years back. Werewolves were usually mistrusting of anything that wasn't pack. Our pack was a little different and getting more different all the time. But Adam? "Why Adam too?"

"She only would keep it quiet if we agreed to let Adam in on it." Pav explained. "Drink that water. There's aspirin in it- it'll help you cool down faster. With the panic around you'll need to look healthy. Vi, slow down a moment, I'll get her makeup on."

Makeup? It was my turn to scowl now. Pav nodded at the reflection as she added, "You look sick. Your country is afraid. Trust me. Once it's on, we'll be going in and finding Nick."

_That_ got me. I sighed, relaxed, and she smiled as she got to work with the stuff. I just did what she asked. As she worked, Vi pulled into one of the spots for hired cars, and waited till we were done. When we were we put on the masks over our faces and headed out with Pav holding onto a third bag I had to assume was for me.

I felt a bit weak, limbs aching, but managed to follow behind the other two. I'd never seen JFK airport so quiet in my few years here. There were barely any cars, most of the hire cars still there, with only a handful of people walking around. People in masks. Security looked nervous. I saw people literally pulled aside who looked sick, pulled into rooms as they tried to leave, saw it happen three times just as we were approaching the doors.

A factor we hadn't taken into account came charging right at me. Reece grabbed me, turning me around, his eyes going up and down my face. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Vi snapped, trying to pry his hands off me. "Let go of her. You draw attention."

We did, I realised, and Reece turned his 'grab' into a full on embrace, complete with kissing, which seemed to get the security guards to look another way.

Antonio jogged up behind us, Vi muttering something under her breath, his eyes going from me to them, raising an eyebrow. "You two know anything about why I can't get Jeremy on the phone?"

"He is busy." Vi replied. She grabbed my hand and pulled me, frustration written all over her face, her eyes going for the flight to Miami. We were running out of time and this was a problem she did not want to handle. "Come. Quickly."

"Not without us." Reece snapped. He grabbed my hand, tugging me, only to slide closer when we again drew attention. "Where are you taking he-"

He cut off, sudden, releasing me as his eyes went past me. There was that look in his face, that mixture of anger, hurt and intense ...something... that he only got for one person. Reece narrowed his eyes. "She apart of this?"

"We do not have time for this." Vi snapped. She yanked me hard, out of Reece's hand, ignoring Antonio as he tried to say something. We were already hurrying into the tiny line to where Pav waited, already going in, Antonio twisting around the turns as he followed. Reece just hopped over the barriers, looking furious.

"Anne, _please_." Reece grabbed me, grabbed my arms, forcing me to turn and face him. He shot Daniella and Vi a look when they tried to pull me away. Then his eyes returned to me, his face softening, and I saw it. Saw the hurt there, the genuine hurt, and fear. Maybe he thought I was running away again. "Talk to me. Where are you going?"

Antonio moved between me and them. He shook his head when Vi tried to move past. "You're drawing attention to us again and she's not going."

"Yeah, Dad, she is." Nick's voice made us all spin around. He smiled apologetically, sliding under the barriers, coming from some spot near the exit I'd ignored. "We are. You can come with us but you can't stop her. We need to go get them."

Vi may not have been able to get past Antonio. Nick was, so easily, just a touch of Antonio's arm and Antonio backed down for his son. Antonio glanced up to the security, who were still keeping their eyes on us, and then spoke softer, "You're not going anywhere either, Nicky."

"Funny you bring that up. Nicky. Rose's first name is now Nicky." Nick grinned, then his grin faded as Antonio didn't smile, his hand moving over to grasp mine, squeezing it hard, pulling me back into his arm. I shut my eyes, relief as his lips met my head, nuzzling gently. "Go get your ticket. I'll talk to them."

I leaned up to kiss him gently, stroking his face, the trace of grief and anger somehow suppressed by this sense of purpose in his face. Like he knew exactly what he wanted to do and whatever else he felt, it could wait. I envied it. I wished I was like this when shit hit the fan. "Hurry up."

The three of us got our tickets, while Nick spoke to Reece and Antonio in the empty lines, their voices low. Very low. I saw it though- the shock- and then their glances up to us. Nick was explaining everything.

Following Vi and Pav through the metal detectors, I saw Nick hurry to follow us, Antonio and Reece heading for the counter dealing with sales. He winked.

"They're coming. Don't give me that look-" Nick met Vi's glare. "-It was either tell them and let them come, or not tell them and have them follow us anyway. Maybe stop us by force. We've got to rush for that plane. Come on."

The plane was just as empty as the airport. I suspected we were more or less the only ones on it, if the flight attendants weren't counted, the entire world apparently shutting down. The only way we'd gotten on it was for Vi and Pav, as nurses, to reassure security that we were healthy. Then we were warned that if we wanted to stay this way, we'd go straight indoors once we reached Miami, no stopping anywhere, not even for food. Apparently most places were now closed. Restaurants, fast food places, things had just shut down. And we were warned that there may not be flights back.

Something about a fuel shortage. Less trucks meant less fuel being trucked in. The state of Florida was already rationing everything, fuel, water, food... there may have been two more days worth of flights. If we were lucky.

It was only once we'd accepted this possibility were we allowed to sit. Anywhere we liked. There was literally no one else coming, except for Antonio and Reece, and the plane was just waiting for them.

"Does that cure work for humans?" I asked, softly, as we went to sit in the first class section.

"No." Vi shook her head. "It will only work for supernatural. They did not have a cure for the human strain."

"Forget that. Come here." Nick tugged me into his lap, nuzzling against my neck. "Hi."

"You're in deep shit with Clayton." I prodded him, only to be cut off by his mouth, the kiss so hard that it left me breathing hard.

Nick shrugged, wrapping his arms around me, not answering. Antonio and Reece weren't far behind us and got seats nearby once they'd had their 'no flights back' lecture.

"How are you doing?" I asked, softly, as we were warned to put seatbelts on. "They told me you're cured."

"I'm focusing on the twins." Nick muttered, lifting me up so easily, not bothering to hide his strength now that I knew. "Seat belts, love."

The word sent warmth flooding through me, his hand lingering on my stomach as he did it himself, the warmth in his eyes mixed with that horrible grief. I grasped for his hand and squeezed it gently.

No one spoke as the plane took off, all of us quiet now, Vi and Pav reading through some files she'd pulled out of the bag. It had to be the information they'd gotten- they were already checking. If cars were hard to get then it'd make it hard to travel around. I sighed out, shutting my eyes, keeping Nick's hand in my hands, stroking it.

"Nicky." He said, quietly, when the seatbelt lights blinked off. I opened my eyes to see him reaching for my seatbelt, pulling me back into his lap, Nick's arms tightening around me. "Rose can have the name Nicky. Or Ellie. After Elena. You like one of them?"

It amused me, sort of, that he'd name her after him so directly. Maybe it was because Reece was named after big Reece. I nodded, sliding my arm around his back, kissing the underside of Nick's jaw. "She can have both names, if you want them. And Reece?"

"Still thinking about him." He glanced up as Reece came over to flop beside us, his eyes pointedly avoiding Daniella as he walked past her, offering us a drink. Nick took it and drank it, breathing out slowly, the wine vanishing before I could grab the glass. He was acting strong, acting like he had a purpose, but I suddenly realised that he was _just_ keeping himself like that. Some part of him was already cracking now that we were around him like this, the grief and rage showing, the need to drink probably returning.

"Getting drunk isn't helpful." I muttered. Nick grinned a sheepish grin.

"Sorry. Yeah." He leaned back, shut his eyes, hands stroking my thighs slowly. "Okay. No more alcohol till it's over."

Vi and Pav made sure we all got fed well, while we were on the plane, the flight attendants glad for it. Apparently there was too much food, it'd all go to waste, and they didn't care how much we ate as long as it was used. Seven werewolves did good work of it all.

I got up to head to the toilet, half expecting Nick to follow, but he just sat there staring numbly out the window, quiet now, any flirtation gone. The only sign that he noticed where I went was to shove Reece and Reece stood outside, waiting, keeping guard. It was stupid- we were on a plane- but I had to guess that Nick wasn't in a logical place. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea for him to come after all.

Or me. I shut my eyes, standing there in the tiny bathroom, aware that the last time I'd seen her had been leaving in that hospital room. All fire and attitude, even while she lay there with her chest open, even telling her grown kids off through a haze of drugs and shock. They'd wanted to renew their vows in front of all of us. Antonio had deserved to have a few years with her, at least, deserved to have time with the woman he'd spent his entire life without. It was like I'd told Nick- you could separate from your mate but once they filled that role, once they were there, it was _impossible_ to replace them.

What had been at Forestwatch anyway? I wasn't sure. The owls confused me as well. All of it did, to be honest, and it made me just want to focus on the disease and twins all the more- at least that was pretty clear and logical. Disease? There was a cure now. Twins? Go get them. Scary monster thing and owls? There was not a single logical answer for it. Nothing. I'd never seen one owl, not one, around Forestwatch before this. Never seen or felt the merest hint that there was a _thing_ there.

Just picturing it made my skin crawl and the hair on the back of my neck rise. It felt like it could have been right there, right beside me, my heart rate increasing. I opened my eyes and slammed back into the wall, the face staring back at me, the face that was between my reflection and myself. It was here. In the plane. Or in the reflection. I couldn't see it, I couldn't see it at all, but in the reflection it was right there. Right there, standing in front of me, invisible to all but the mirror.

Fear clouded me as it turned, slowly, to gaze at its own reflection, eyes meeting my horrified ones.

Then something struck me in the chest, struck me so hard I was winded, and I saw it's reflection. Long hand, long thin hand, going right through me. The other over my mouth, covering it, and I couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Fear clogged my brain, my head spinning and...

The mouth opened then. Mouth opened wide, so wide it could have swallowed half my body, an unnatural darkness coming up out of it, as dark as the 'shadow' it had for a lower half... coming to surround me, cut out the light of the bathroom, cut out everything except us. Like a fog. A black fog, hot, consuming... It appeared now, not just in the mirror but in front of me too, grasping for me, grasping me against it, and I saw a woman. Standing right there beside us, a sword in her hands her dark hair framing her face, reminding me so much of Savannah it wasn't funny. And another woman. Young. Pretty. Lillian, angry looking, so damn angry... The sword came at it and it vanished in the reflection, moving backwards, moving fast. The black fog consuming me vanished with it. She blinked at me, as our eyes met, before she went after it. Lillian didn't move. She stood there, reaching for me, looking like she was a teenager again. The age she'd been in the video, so happy, believing that the world had been hers.

"Anne..."

My heart wasn't beating. I heard nothing. Heard only blood slowing down. Stomach squirm around food. There was such silence in my chest, such loud silence, that the banging on the bathroom door was just a whisper compared to it.

Darkness started to crowd, a different darkness, like a tunnel. And Lillian was right there. Waiting. Hands touching me. Holding me. Not her hands. My mother's hands. My mother there, Susie there, the two of them holding me up as my body fell. It fell away from me, all of it, the plane, the body, everything, I saw the dark haired woman outside the plane, the creature there with it, saw the plane vanish...

"Hold on." Mum whispered in my ear, her arms around me, around me as they used to be when I was little and I was afraid in the dark. Lips kissed my forehead, dry lips. Like she usually had during summer. Dry hands too. She liked to garden in the sun. It always made her smell like the moisturiser she used. She smelt faintly of grass and that moisturiser now, like I'd always remembered she had during summer, wearing that orange dress that made her skin glow. "Just a moment longer."

"Tell Matt he's incredible." Susie leaned against my other side. They were so warm, so caring, their arms embracing me. I smelt them. I _felt_ them. "So's your man. I wish I'd met him. Wouldn't have minded one of those werewolves for a husband. The _stamina_."

"Not now, Susie." Mum muttered, her arms tightening, but there was a trace of amusement there. "Just a little longer."

"Are..." I wasn't sure if I could speak. It was strange. I wasn't breathing. I wasn't breathing, my heart wasn't going, but ...I was fine. "You both real?"

"Yes, sweetheart. Eve's nearly … there." Mum's lips kissed my forehead.

I was in New York. In the living room of Antonio's big house. Jamie sat there, Jeremy nearby, both of them looking pissed off as they tried to wake Elena. And here I was, standing there plain as day, the dark haired woman beside me. Clayton was pacing up and down, groggy, shaking his head, face dark with fury.

"Jamie, leave her to sleep. Call Antonio, get Jeremy to try one of those nurses on the phone, and tell them to check a bathroom." The woman seemed amused, her hand coming to rest on my shoulder.

Jeremy didn't seem to see or hear her. Jamie did though. Her eyes went to the woman, then to me, glared at me, before she shook Elena again. "Why?"

"Why what?" Jeremy's head lifted to her. He didn't see me or Eve, he looked right through us, and my heart twisted painfully. I wanted him to be angry with me. Angry with me, _disappointed_, whatever it was he'd be- it was easier than this. Than being invisible.

"Eve wants me to call Anton-" She froze. Stared at us again, at Eve and then myself, and then at the hand. On my shoulder. Shock flooded Jamie's face. "She's … _is_ she? Eve?"

"How long does CPR work? Hurry up." Eve glanced at me. "You've got about two minutes before I have to take her. We're not ready for her and Lillian will kill us if we take her now."

I blinked, eyes going from Eve to Jamie, confused. Really fucking confused. Clayton wasn't looking at me either. I was supposed to be in a plane. It took me a few seconds to really get this, why I wasn't getting that 'disappointed' look from Jeremy, or getting hit … then I got it, got why I was seeing dead people, why I was in a house instead of the plane, and the confusion gave way to panic. Holy crap. This was _not_ okay. "What the hell?"

"You died. Calm down, we're working on it. Don't focus on that thing. It likes attention." She narrowed her eyes as we caught sight of it. Outside, at the window, Eve letting go of me, grasping for the sword. "One thought and we're back at it. _Hurry up, _Jamie."

"They aren't answering. They're on a plane, Eve, planes don't have ..." She swore. "Shit."

I felt it. Separation. It was strange. I was separating from the world. Lillian was back, standing there, face tense as she waited. Then... it stopped. This separation was reversing. Lillian smiled, a warm relieved smile, as I felt a heaviness in my chest return. Pain. The world faded and I dropped.

I was being kissed. No, not kissed. Breathed at. Pav's air filled my lungs, her scent with it, crashing into me, hands pressing hard against my heart as it suddenly kicked up again, beating hard against my ribcage and the hands.

Hearing came back, crashing back into my head, and along with it came the sudden sense of blood being forced everywhere. The world seemed to come back into focus, with every strained heartbeat, encouraged by Vi's hands. She only stopped when I moved.

Antonio helped me sit up, his arms capturing me in that bear hug he was so damn good at, shaking his head. "This is not good for my health, sweetie.'

"I got to stop this damsel thing." I muttered, trying to joke, and it did not make him laugh.

"Fucking oath you do." Reece snapped. His hands were in his hair, white faced, and Daniella was nearby, a hand on his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me something was wrong?"

"I was-" I didn't want to say it. Dead. Seemed over dramatic somehow. I was having a quick hello. I saw my mother's face, my sister's faces, so close. Their smells, their hands, their embraces... and squeezed my eyes shut, whimpering, giving up the tough thing. Two years, three years, sixty years, it'd make no difference. "I saw them. My mum. My sister. Lillian. Clayton's seriously pissed off. You might want to wear a groin guard thing."

No one laughed, especially Nick, he was white. Stared at me with a face I couldn't quite make out. It wasn't grief. It might have been closer to anger, maybe, but it wasn't all directed at me. I felt angry just looking at him. There might have been anger at Jamie, just a fraction, not telling me how to handle this...every instinct in me told me how wrong this was. How fucking wrong. They had no clue how to handle this. Maybe that was it- maybe whoever she spoke to, that dark haired woman, had no idea either.

Whatever Jeremy's answer was, it was muffled by the sound of Nick's heavy breathing against my ear, his heart racing, and then he gave up being angry and flopped beside me, threading arms around me, Antonio sliding back. People were getting up. Leaving the two of us alone, I realised, letting us have privacy back here.

"You saw my mother?" Nick's words were shaky, struggling to speak, his arms releasing me a fraction.

"She said she loves you and she's watching the twins." I reached up to stroke his face. Tears had started to leak out again, no matter how hard he was trying to force them, brushing the dampness with my thumbs. He scowled, shaking his head, trying to wipe his face clean. Nick shut his eyes and leaned back against me, breathing in and out slowly, hands pressed against my back as close to my heart as he could get.

We had to get up though. Get into our seats. I didn't rush him, just gently nudged him, and he took his time untangling himself from me, his legs shaking as he lifted us both up.

"I'm guessing mile high club isn't interesting right now?" I tried to joke, Nick not even cracking a smile, his hand hard around mine as we made our way back up the plane.

"No." He muttered. "No more bathrooms. One funeral this year is enough for you."

I flinched, guilty now, but... it wasn't something I could have prevented. Not this time anyway. Nick didn't speak when we sat down, shutting down again, leaning against his legs as he stared at the floor.

"Sorry."

The word, soft, hung between us. Nick sighed, breathing out, grasping my hand and stroking it, his attention fixed on it, on the lines, as if he was trying to read the lines etched in. Hoping he could find some sort clue to suggest that I wasn't going to fall off this world just yet, maybe, from the look on his face.

"So what happened?" Reece asked, soft, leaning over the seat near us, gazing down.

Attention was on me. I hadn't realised this, so focused on Nick's stress, but everyone was gathered around me now. I'd been attacked in a plane and I had to work- had to warn them. I swallowed, shutting the little sliding window thing, suddenly afraid of my reflection. After last time? Suddenly I wasn't going to like mirrors much. "That thing. I saw it again. It was invisible in the bathroom. Shit... sorry, Reece, I need … I need to not think about it." I had this urge to reach for my wallet, grasp it, grasp for the photos in it.

"Sorry, love, but you have to." Antonio said softly from beside us. "Nick was the one who realised something was wrong."

Nick didn't speak. He just glanced sideways at me, at my heart, his face still far too pale.

"I saw it. Then it looked at me. I... sorry. I can't explain it right now." I dropped my eyes, guilt mixing with the rising fear, the fear that came with speaking about it. Thinking about it. I couldn't do it. Not now. Not in this plane. My heart was already racing, skin feeling clammy, and I heard my voice plea, "Call Jamie."

"Our phones are off up here." Nick swore softly, sitting back, hands still around mine.

"I don't know. Jamie will have to explain it. I've never seen … I don't know what it was." Just that it was apparently able to make itself seen or unseen at will, sort of, and that it could reach inside me without breaking skin. Looked like it had been trying to eat me. Shit. I had to stop thinking about this. I really had to.

"It stopped your heart." Vi's voice cut over the hum of the plane. Her eyes met mine, frowning, and then they caught in Nick's eyes.

"I just want to get the hell off this plane." I didn't want to answer. I shut my eyes, the fear returning, sliding closer to Nick's side. As angry and upset as he was, he was still more comforting than anything on this plane, and I had to admit that this was starting to shake me. I'd _died_. Holy crap. When I changed the subject with, "So what are we doing when we get off the plane?" no one pushed me to say more.

"I hire a car. We go to hotel first, to cure Antonio and Reece, and then we find this address. Is this acceptable?" Vi's eyes went around the small plane.

Any answers were delayed. A flight attendant came down to ask us if we wanted any last minute drinks or snacks for after, happily loading us up with extra food they didn't want to waste.

"My co-worker is sick." She said, softly, sitting near us. "So is one of the pilots. There's no panic. But I've been told to stay down here. We're landing in fifteen minutes. If no one needs a drink-"

"-We're going to be fine. Is it..." Antonio shook his head.

The woman nodded. She looked stunned, afraid, the smell of fear rising off her. It had to only be one thing. "We're going home. This was our last job till it's over. They looked fine before we got on the plane. Now..." She breathed out, ragged, her hands tapping on her leg nervously. "I'd hoped we'd get home without... Without one of them joining the masses of sick population. Tracy, as her name badge said, slid a mask over her face. Shut her eyes .

As the flight came to land, an ambulance met us. We didn't pull up to the airport. Instead, we were told to go to the back of the plane and wait when the medics made sure no one else was sick, the plane's curtains drawn. Outside in the darkness I saw the stretchers, someone going out with them, people being taken away. Tracy stood beside us watching her co-workers. A medic told her she had to come for check up, just in case, and she went behind him, her heart racing.

Only when the ambulance and the staff had gone did an employee come. A taxi, one of the large ones designed for a lot of people, came straight onto the tarmac to pick us up. Apparently they didn't want to risk it- we were being taken straight to the hotel. So there wasn't much to discuss... we were being taken to a hotel tonight, whether we liked it or not.

The rooms we were given were discounted heavily, charged by the week, apparently changes made by Florida's government to help stranded people. Several floors were now off limits due to quarantine. Not just that, the man said at the desk, the hotel was so full that we were forced to fit into two rooms. He looked apologetic as he said this, his eyes going over our small crowd, adding that one of the rooms was a suite and usually very expensive. The other was a regular room but there was an adjoining door. We had free entry into the morning buffet between six and seven thirty, access to the gym between six and eight at night, and we were free to go anywhere that wasn't a restricted floor on the condition that we wore the mask at all times. An in-house doctor was there at any time of day or night if we felt sick.

In other words, this hotel was full of sick humans too. This explained why we were paying two hundred per room for seven days, when this kind of place probably expected _at least _that for one night.

Seven werewolves? _Two rooms_? Somehow Reece got into the smaller room with us, Antonio probably attempting to avoid clashes between him and Daniella, and the seven of us finally found ourselves in the suite's living room. Bags thrown around, the door to our smaller room wide open, food from the air plane dropped onto the coffee table beside Vi's notes on where we were supposed to be going from here.

"I hope everyone wanted this." Pav tried to smile as she sat on one of the sofa edges, beside Vi, gazing out the window. "It is a beautiful room."

It was, huge windows, sofas, warm orange glow, hiding the gloomier hotel outside from us. The entire city had seemed asleep the entire drive over. But the huge windows, the huge reflections, they really bothered me. No one spoke as I went to cover them with the blinds, shutting them, cutting off the nice view of the lit bay.

"Let's order something hot." Antonio suggested. "Before we start anything."

No one argued, or pointed out that we'd gorged on sandwiches on the plane, and Antonio started to order. Food helped us stay in control, helped kept the wolf from feeling the urge to hunt for prey, and tonight we may need it more than usual. To our human minds, at least for me, a human was a human, sick or not, I'd never see them as prey.

But to my wolf mind, this was another matter. A human was prey as much as a rabbit or anything else we might find and a sick human? A weakened human? Or one that was afraid? In a city that was terrified by a sickness that was taking over the population we'd need as much control as we could get if any of us were changing.

I paced around the room, ignoring reflections, Daniella avoiding Reece's stare, Nick just sitting there numbly. He was probably trying to focus again, trying to snap himself back, but I had not helped.

"We will cure you two once the food comes." Vi said softly, breaking through the tense heavy air, her eyes going from Reece to Antonio. "It will take an hour. Maybe less. Maybe a little longer for Antonio."

"I'll go find out about a car for us." Daniella stood up and headed out without waiting for anyone to answer.

Reece went to follow, hesitated as Vi shook her head, and sat back down. He scowled. As much as he was angry with her, as frustrated as he was, the habit was still there. Instead he headed into our room and went to 'make a bed'. I knew he'd end up in ours. When I heard him close the curtains in there I stood up.

"I'm going to call Jamie now." Antonio seemed to remember, standing, and Vi nodded. "And Jeremy. If Elena orders us to go back-"

"-Tell her it might be difficult." Vi replied. "If the airport is closing down."

Antonio's lips twitched and he headed for his bedroom. I glanced towards the other room, where Reece was pacing, Nick standing up too.

"Come with me." He reached out for my hand and I let him lead us into that room.

"You." Nick hissed, following me, shutting the door behind us. He grasped me hard, twisting around to kiss me, Reece's snort coming from behind us.

"You two can't stop it, can you?"

"Tell me what happened." Nick's hands grasped my arms, gently, guiding me to the bed. His eyes went from me to Reece. "Us. Tell _us_. We'll explain it to them."

"I..." I hesitated. "I did tell you." I shifted onto the bed, tucking my legs up, holding onto them as warm brown eyes fixed onto me with that determined intensity Nick got when he wanted something that I was refusing to give. Usually it was related to sex. This time apparently not.

"Sorry, wasn't good enough." Nick replied, no trace of humour or good nature there, sliding closer. "We're here."

"Speak up." Reece agreed with Nick. He moved to sit beside us, kicking shoes off and crossing his legs.

I suddenly got why Jamie was so reluctant to speak. It was like, speaking about this thing, it made it happen. Made it come. Maybe this was an illusion- I wasn't sure- but it really did scare me in a way that nothing had. It'd just killed me, for crying out loud, I'd been _dead_. I opened my mouth, tried, and closed it again. It wasn't coming out. The words were there, the explanation, but …

Nick kissed me again, lips grazing against my lips, his hand stroking my face. The bed dipped as Reece shifted closer too, arm sliding around my waist. "You're safe here."

I told them, voice so low that they had to lean close, their scents crowding around me like a comforting blanket. Mate and best-mate. Either side. Maybe Nick's distance hadn't been anger at all. Maybe he'd sensed how scared I was and had gone into protective mode. When the door opened, he growled, a low deep growl, and whoever it was backed off quick.

"Reece, go tell them." Nick ordered, his eyes meeting Reece's eyes, and Reece nodded. Nick got up and went for chocolate, throwing it at me, grasping his own as he crawled back onto the bed and shrugged off his shirt.

"What are you doing?" I watched him throw it aside.

"Breasts cheer us up so... here." Nick's first smile, a shaky one, as he pressed my hand up against his abs. "Cheering you up? Look. I can do this too." He made them dance, right up against my face, the muscles twitching.

A smile cracked my lips. He grinned a little wider at that, pulling my top out, so he could stare down my top. It was so childish, so silly, so _Nick_, that I couldn't help but relax.

"That's what I like to see." Nick pushed me down, kissing me, body pinning me there. "Here I am. Your Nick. So, my mom... and yours?" His smile faded, just a fraction, as he stared down at me. "You really saw them?"

I nodded. I stroked his face as he lay there on top of me, the grief returning, but it wasn't as ...strong.

"How'd she look?"

"Like a pissed off teenager. Healthy. Full of energy." I muttered, remembering her, this girl that I knew was Lillian but ...she'd reverted all the way back to that age. Nicks head dropped against my breasts, nuzzling into them, breathing in slowly. "How are you coping?"

"With today?" When I nodded, he sighed, not speaking for a long time. "You saw her. Alive. Pissed off teenager, but alive. She's not really dead. None of them are. I just have to... wait." Nick lifted his head, a sad smile there now, but he leaned onto one elbow so he could stroke my face. "Wait with me. Don't go ahead."

"I'm not going anywhere. That Eve woman said that they weren't ready for me yet, something about your mum being pissed off about it, so..."

"She's keeping you here for me." He relaxed, shutting his eyes. "So she's okay."

"She's okay. She said she loves you and she's guarding the twins." I stroked Nick's back as he lay there over me, his head again against my breasts, his breathing slowing. Dampness started to go through my top, dampness that probably came from his eyes, and I didn't lift my head to check. I let him have privacy if he needed it. I broke the chocolate up, eating a piece, feeding him one, his warm mouth closing around my fingers, nibbling against them as he took the chocolate.

"Dad will want to know." He said quietly, after a long time, sitting up. Nick headed for the bathroom ,washing his face, as I sat there and waited. When he came back out his face was pale, eyes a bit redder, but he had his warm smile back. It was small but it was back. "I'm starving. How long till that food gets here?"

"If we hurry, we might get a snack." I stood up and followed Nick back into the bigger suite. Half of me expected to walk into chaos- this was not a good sign of how my life was going these days- but all we saw was a bunch of sleepy werewolves, half napping on floor and couches, Reece guiding a man with a food laden trolley into the room. Not just _that_, apparently, because not far behind hum was housekeeping, pulling in a bundle of blankets, pillows and a bag of soap, shampoo, and other things for us.

When they were gone, food covering the coffee table and a table nearby, blankets, pillows and things piled up on the floor for us to use. Antonio looked up, yawning, sliding up and heading for the coffee.

"Jamie won't speak about it." Vi muttered, scowling. "Reece told us everything. Antonio called her again. She still won't speak. She only confirms that you died for a few minutes. She is forbidden from speaking to us till her ghosts are given permission." This news did not impress Vi, clearly, because she just scowled deeper. "We are told to keep reflective things covered."

That was not helpful. Windows, mirrors, all of it. Covered? Reece moved past me into our room, a sheet in hand, probably going for the mirror in our bathroom.

"She's trying." Antonio offered me a coffee. "She deals with a different authority. Elena's angry too now, she wants answers, she isn't impressed that someone nearly got killed. Let Jamie deal with them."

"We need answers _now_." Vi snapped, jumping as Pav's hand stroked her arm, her anger fading as she caught Pav's eyes. "I know we are all trying."

"You're tired. We're all tired." Pav's soothing voice worked. Vi's shoulders slumped a little, she slid closer to Pav. "We don't need Jamie to think. Why don't we eat, have something to drink, and then think about it? There's no rush."

"The babies-"

"The car is booked for the morning. There's a curfew in effect after dark now." Daniella spoke up. "It's an hour's walk from here. We could walk there, I suppose one of us waiting here, and then be picked up. But we'd still have to organise timing right- we can't walk back with twins. Not if we're being pursued. We've got a few hours to plan. It's only elven so Pav's right. The rushing part is over."

Vi nodded, sighed, and pulled Pav against her shoulder, stroking her long dark hair. "I am sorry. Let's eat. Think. Jamie is not the only one who can think of answers."

"It may not be a wise idea to bring the twins here just yet anyway." Antonio said softly. "Not till we're knowing what we're dealing with. This disease may cause problems for us as well... Nick, why are you half dressed?" His eyes went to his son, raising an eyebrow, as Nick shrugged.

I crawled onto the couch and tugged a pillow under my head, accepting a plate of food from all the things. Nick sat down on the ground beside me with his own plate.

"We shouldn't barge in there like a bunch of angry wolves." I said quietly. I wanted to. Fucking hell, did I want to. But ...with twins? When the entire city was on the verge of panic and mayhem? "One big fight and we'd stand out like a sore thumb. Any other time and we'd be dismissed as a bunch of drunk idiots. And if we ran around at night, like we usually would in pairs, normally they'd ignore us. Their heads would tell them we're big dogs. Right now with the canine fever..."

"They might assume we're sick dogs. Shoot at us. Spreading it. Yeah." Daniella nodded slowly. "Running around a panicked city, either as we are, or as wolves, it might be a bad idea."

"Hide in daylight then." Vi nodded. "Okay. We must be in small groups for this. Two. Do you agree, Antonio?" Her eyes went to the older man. Now that she wasn't angry, or stressed... or at least she was suppressing it enough to hide it... there was some kind of trust there. He had saved Pav, after all, and I knew that wasn't a small thing for her.

"Sometimes it's easier to hide in plain sight." Antonio nodded slowly. "And we're all exhausted. We'll draw more attention to ourselves if we leave at night."

"Does anyone not agree to wait till morning?" Pav asked, gazing around. No one argued. "Then we agree? We have a sleep, when Reece and Antonio are cured, wake early, and discuss plans then?"

I nodded, more or less agreeing, and no one else argued. So we finished eating and waited, as Antonio and Reece were carefully lain down on the pillows. The injection was quick and then they thrashed, convulsed, growled, trying to bite … and fell asleep. The only sign that they were still dreaming was their legs twitching, their eyes moving backwards and forward under their lashes, a small snarl occasionally from Reece or a growl from Antonio. But it wasn't anywhere as near as dramatic as the bite itself, or the fever, and neither was like it for long. Reece woke up after half an hour, Nick helping him to our bed, and Antonio was awake just a few minutes later. Both weak, both hot and sweaty, but both fine.

Nick pulled me to my feet when he was sure his dad was past it. I followed him into our bedroom, exhausted, letting him tug clothing off so I could crawl into the bed between him and Reece.

Sleep came, and it was easy, relaxed, dreamless, the two bodies on either side of me comforting like nothing else could be.


	26. Impatience

Remember this is also on wattpad under Corinder :) You have to fan me to see it but it's there! (Sometimes this site doesn't work so it delays stuff. Plus I love how you can add art and music there... but the updates will keep coming here!

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><p>I woke to Reece and Nick. Kissing me, taking turns doing it, one kissing while the other removed clothing. Trust them to try it now, when we'd almost certainty get caught, but when I was caught between a hard place and another hard place, suddenly it was hard to say 'no'. Suddenly I wasn't sure I cared if people did notice.<p>

"Shh." Reece grinned as I opened my mouth. "Stay quiet. We're celebrating ...morning."

I kissed him instead, as Nick stripped off the last of his clothing, the smell of dampness coming from both of them. They must have showered while I'd slept. Reece lifted me up into his lap, my back against his chest, guiding himself into me with a low groan against my shoulder. When Nick tugged my head down for his lap, grinning, I knew exactly how we were playing this today, and quite happily played along.

It kept me quiet. They had a harder time, I felt them grab for pillows, muffled groans and moans as I let Nick muffle me, body being moved by Reece only adding to what I was doing to Nick. I wasn't exactly an expert at this, not still, but I was getting better apparently- it wasn't long before he was tipped over the edge and had to shift back, chuckling softly, his breathing hard. Reece was just moments after me, his hands grasping my hips hard, our skin slapping together in his haste, my chest and head flopped across the bed as I came. Nick just watching. And he didn't look too bothered. If anything it almost started him up all over again.

Reece's arms pulled me up against him, face pressed into my shoulder, the heat flooded inside of me as he muffled his moan in my back.

We showered together, somehow avoiding starting it all over again, though I was more than happy with the idea. Funny how we dealt with things like grief and loss differently. If anything, it made Nick even more determined to get me somehow, somewhere, and even less bothered by Reece joining in. That was if he'd _ever_ been bothered by the idea. It had been his idea. I shaved Nick as Reece dared to uncover the mirror, shaving himself, while I kept my back to the mirror. I didn't want to look.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, also great things, and we laughed and teased each other for the few precious minutes we had alone. Then Vi knocked. Tried to get in. Clearly she was ready to get started.

I dressed quickly, Nick and Reece less fussed, only pulling their boxers and pants on before letting her in.

"I ha-" She cut off as she inhaled, long and deep, raising an eyebrow. Yep. Any werewolf who'd smell those sheets and what was now all over them could guess what the three of us had been up to. Vi's eyes went over Reece, who looked a bit sheepish suddenly, and Nick, who just stared back. Then to me. "Did they make you?"

I shook my head, slowly, and when I saw that anger starting to build back up in her face added, "No. Come on. Let's order breakfast." I went past, dragging Nick with me, Reece and Vi following. She didn't speak as we shut the door.

We ordered, Antonio raising his head from the bed he'd made on one of the couches, yawning. Then he flopped back down and shut his eyes. It wasn't even five thirty yet and Vi was up and about.

"I have been thinking." She continued when we'd ordered. "About this creature. It may not have been here just now. So why do we wait for ghosts to tell us what people write about?"

"I don't know what you mean." I went for the kettle and turned it on, fixing us coffee as she paced up and down. "Did you sleep?"

"Yes." She dismissed that last question with a wave of her hand. "Does this country not have indigenous people?" Vi asked. I blinked at her. "If you can not get Jamie to talk then talk to the people who have lived here for thousands of years. Yes? They have stories about many things. Maybe this is one of them."

She was right. Holy crap. This was something I was interested in, even, why hadn't I even thought of this? "So, we could look..."

"Already done." Vi shook her head. "We have been looking while you rested."

Pav came out, yawning, her hair damp and tied back. She looked much more fatigued than Vi did, less interested in action at five in the morning, but one glance at her wife and she smiled a faint smile as she dropped onto the couch and pushed a small flat object onto it. A computer tablet. "There's a book store nearby in Miami we could see." Pav glanced at the information on her tablet, sliding it around so easily, making me wonder suddenly why I kept usually carrying around a laptop. Those things looked far easier. Touch and go. "We should go."

"Why that one?" I blinked as she glanced up, to Vi, who grinned.

"It is run by a family who are native american in origin. The youngest girl was in collage last year and is now looking for a job. This was her paper." Vi held up the tablet and showed me. Crypto-zoology- connections between culture. I didn't ask how Vi got her hands on this information or how much sleep she'd gotten last night. I didn't _want_ to ask. "So we go."

"Not now." Nick glanced over her shoulder. "Why are we awake if it's not open till ten?"

Vi didn't answer. She got up and started to face, fiddling with her tablet thing. Because she couldn't sleep, I had to assume was the answer, so none of us did.

Breakfast came. Pancakes and toast. It wasn't enough and, seeing as the buffet was open at six, the four of us went downstairs as Daniella and Antonio slept in. Pav had crawled back into bed, muttering something about having to call Elena and fill her in, looking like she was really just finding an excuse to go back to sleep.

We only wore the masks on the trip into the dining room. The masks itched, they were annoying, but we at least could take them off to eat.

The buffet wasn't what they usually were in a hotel. There was a lot of bread, a lot of stuff like that, but I noticed less fresh fruit and vegetables, a lot of egg based dishes, stored meat stuff, as if we were in some kind of war. I remembered hearing about rations in wartime being a bit like this. There was those things, fruit, fresh meat, dairy, sort of, but we had to pay extra to access them and even then they were rationed out. Apparently, while we had free access down here, we were still only allowed to come here once a day. So we made the most of it- eating what we could out of the unrationed stuff and enjoying the things that were limited.

This had to be due to the illness too. Less farmers, less workers in the workforce, not because of a war. Or maybe they were being over-careful. I hadn't noticed the same limitations in New York state just yet but I texted Elena anyway- warning her that they better start weeding and expanding that vegetable garden I made for them, if food started to get rationed. Human sized meals were not good enough for mutts. Chickens too. How we'd protect the chickens from ourselves, while we were changed, that was going to be an issue. Screw foxes and wild dogs. But chickens had eggs and meat and we might need them if we couldn't buy as much food as we needed.

Vi started to bug Reece and Nick again about what she'd smelt in our room, hassling them until she was certain I hadn't been forced into it, the protective side coming right back out. Then she got onto them about birth control, as if I wasn't expected to think about it, reminding them both how easily I got pregnant. Like we needed a reminder there. I loved all my kids, loved them all the time, and missed them... but I knew if I had more, I might just go crazy. Or Elena might go crazy.

I remembered then, with a shock, that she might have been impregnated. I'd been so distracted that ...it'd slipped my mind. It was probably too early to tell still but I put a note in my phone to call her that night. Make sure she was okay. I got a text message back within seconds of sending it. Elena was awake, she agreed we needed to buy up big and had sent Clayton to do it, and told me under no circumstances to get involved in the rescue of my twins. It was clear, straight to the point, an order from my Alpha that I could not refuse under any circumstances. She already had Karl and Hope working on it and had told Savannah and Adam they could do something else. They didn't have to do what we told them to do. It pissed me off.

Pav was awake again when we got upstairs half an hour later. Everyone was. And... they weren't alone. Two familiar people were in the suite's living room now, Vi's stress rising further as she saw them standing near her mate, Karl and Hope waiting impatiently for us. I didn't ask how they'd gotten in.

"Elena let us know you're here." Karl spoke up. "You have information?"

"Maybe." Vi met his gaze. She crossed her arms, inhaling slowly, the mistrust increasing as she caught his scent. "Who are you?"

"Pack. Karl." I said, softly, as he scowled at her. Hadn't they met before? Maybe it didn't matter.

"We've been ordered to share." Karl glanced at Antonio who nodded a fraction and stepped forward. "Savannah and Adam were told to keep doing what they were originally doing. Elena had them working on something _else_. This is our job."

"It's all right. Karl is pack, as Anne said, and Hope is trustworthy." He met Vi's eyes who sighed, heading into the bedroom, bringing back her folder of papers and the tablet laptop she had.

"You broke into their house again last night?" I asked as we sat down around the table, all of us, leaning against Nick's legs.

"No. Her house was quarantined." Hope replied softly. She was restless, glancing around, and while Karl's eyes were on the papers, I could see him watching her. "That thing. Does it hang around you?"

"You know about it?"

"She's a chaos half-demon. She knows when something's happened." Karl replied calmly. "This address is Rose's house."

I blinked as he traced the underlined address for the bank account. "It..."

"There's evidence to suggest she took them. This just adds to it. How did you get this information?" Karl ignored me as he met Vi's eyes. "It's extensive." He ignored my shock. Rose? Was this ...her husband? I wasn't sure. With Demetruis dead, seriously and completely dead, this did mean that my children were the heirs. But her husband was supposed to be sick.

"We have a young werewolf who works in IT. He is very good with computers." Vi replied. "He has been working on this for some time."

"And the cure?" Hope spoke up, her eyes on Pav, who blinked. "When are you giving it to us?"

"They have a cure?" Karl's head shot up and he fixed us with a look, smooth, calm, but there was an edge of mistrust. "How?"

Vi explained it as Pav got up to get what she had left. Elena must not have shared this part. When she offered it, Karl frowned, and said that he'd only accept it if Antonio was the only one with them. In other words, he didn't trust anyone. Antonio was about as close to trustworthy as anyone here, in his mind, which wasn't all that shocking really... we trusted pack. Karl only trusted a select few of the pack even now.

"This book store you spoke of opens at ten." He replied. "This is Hope's area, investigating the paranormal. Do you intend on us all going and scaring them or a few?"

"We will go see this house." Vi replied. She tapped the address. "This shop is left to Anne. I have been thinking. The sooner we take these babies out of the way the better. Those babies must be taken out of this state before the borders close."

"Not without us. We know that area and I doubt you know how to use a boat." He glanced back at Hope, who was standing near the covered window, her focus gone. She looked incredibly distracted. "Hope. Focus."

"Sorry. That thing keeps ...the memory of it." She looked almost enthralled, I realised, not afraid. Like the memory she could apparently sense was turning her on rather than scaring her, like us. She met Karl's eyes and tried to calm down. "You could rent that boat again if you don't give him that look you gave him last time."

"He was flirting with you." He narrowed his eyes when she shrugged her shoulders. "They weren't there when we broke in two nights ago. This old woman returned yesterday and security has increased. Not impossible but... we don't just want to barge in. There were some..." He hesitated, as his eyes met mine, wrinkling his nose somewhat. "Some signs that there might be infants inside. The smell in the bins was impossible to miss."

This was coming from a man who had a human nose still. I froze, Nick's hand coming to stroke my hair, as he added, "It may not be what we think. We'll watch the house from the boat during the day, get an idea of what kind of security she's got in place around her, and decide if action, if any, is done. You can't come and you-" He fixed his eyes on Vi who had open her mouth, still looking angry, "-have to work with Elena's orders. She agrees. She could have you tied up and shipped home in a box if she wanted"

"I _have_ to come." I knew I'd been ordered not to but the idea that they'd go in, snatch them, attack the people who took the children? It drove me crazy.

"Elena forbids it. Nick's coming. You're staying here with Reece." Karl cut me off.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, he's right. Elena has forbidden you from doing anything with the twins." Antonio leaned over, stroking over my shoulder. "We're going. Nick and myself. She's worried that the creature is drawn to you and if it is..."

"I put them at risk."

Antonio nodded, regret there as my face fell. "We're not going in to do battle, if we do go in, we're just going in to get them safely out of the way. Right?"

"Yes." Vi answered. Karl didn't say anything, just nodded a fraction. "But if there is a fight, we need to be sure there is no additional problems."

Such as me. Or a monster. Or my hysterical habit of loosing control when I was really upset. If one of the babies got hurt, if Nick got hurt, if anyone got hurt... I wasn't entirely confidant that I would hold onto my control as well as I had been.

"We've sworn to protect each other." Daniella spoke up from where she stood against the wall, arms crossed. "This includes our children. I'll protect them as if they were mine. No one harms them."

I knew that. I shut my eyes, nodded, and felt Nick relax.

"Anne, you're not forbidden from following up on this creature. In fact, you should use this time." Antonio said, softly, still nearby. "Elena hasn't said no to you about that. Has she?"

"No." I admitted.

Antonio squeezed my shoulder. "Then go get that information. Find out what's been chasing you around. Let us deal with this battle while you get information on the next."

"Pav told us about your trip to this store. And about this girl Vi wants to talk to." Hope came across. "That a girl there is interested in paranormal things and mythology. Talk to her about it. Say you're researching a sighting for an article but give nothing else away. People into this usually are eager to talk to willing ears- usually people just mock them. I'll call Jamie from the boat and try and pry information."

"No." Karl spoke up, giving Hope a look. "You're staying here. Guarding this place. When they return with information, you can go over it."

Hope frowned, opening her mouth to argue, but he didn't look back. It was more or less an order and I saw the rage there, under her usually controled face, saw her get ready to blast him. Vi cut her off before anything was said.

"Come. We cure you now. Then we go." Vi stood up. No waiting. She was too restless to discuss it anymore. "Reece and Anne can leave. Daniella, you can drive? Drive them."

"The store doesn't open for another few hours, Vi." I muttered. Vi scowled, eyes going to the clock, her frustration showing. She wanted to get moving now. She wanted answers _now_.

"Fine. Then watch a movie. We cure Karl and Hope and we leave. If we get twins, we may not contact you until we have them safely at Antonio's house. You understand?"

"So you won't even contact us?" I blinked. My eyes went to Nick above me, his head hovering, his mouth opening.

"No. We go, we do not call. Phones stay here. We vanish. We make contact again at six tomorrow morning. This is, if Karl agrees." She shot him a look, daring him to argue, but he just gave her an impassive look. "This way there is no distraction. You pretend we are still here. Hotel may be watching us."

I pursed my lips at the idea. I _hated_ it. I hated it even more when no one else seemed shocked, upset or angry. "What if someone gets hurt?" What if Nick got hurt? I shut my eyes. Tried to not panic. What if the twins were hurt? What if...

"There's enough of us to deal with it." Antonio replied. "Reece, Daniella and Hope stays with you. The rest of us go. Anne, relax. We're not new at this."

Of course they weren't. I tried to breathe out, slowly, tried to remember that these people... the people I loved most in the world... were all more or less experienced in combat. In stealth. In conflict. Werewolves, in other words, hunters.

"If something goes wrong-" I tried.

"We will contact Elena. Of course we will. Same goes for you four here." Antonio glanced up. Karl and Hope were already heading for the bedroom. Neither cared about my anxiety or my fears. They had jobs to do and I had to do my job. Antonio squeezed my waist before he rose up. "Something goes wrong, we contact the Alpha. Follow her orders."

He headed after them and I let Nick stroke my hair, Reece flipping the TV on, trying to focus. Nick seemed to be back into 'focus' mode after last night's scare, ready for action, everyone else seemingly coping with this plan. It drove me nuts. It put too many people at risk.

And I was still stunned. Rose? Even now, even at this point, I wasn't convinced it was her. Okay, so I'd learnt that people weren't always good just because they looked it, but at the same time … I still couldn't believe it.

"Nick?"

Nick leaned down, gazing over my head, his knees squeezing my shoulders. "Yeah?"

"Don't get hurt." I muttered. He kissed my head, stroking my shoulders. "Seriously."

"Not a chance. Dad would kill me and then I'd miss out on telling you Reece's first name. I'll tell you it when I get back. You'll love it." He grinned, a grin with only a hint of the tenseness underneath, his eyes fixed in mine. "You too. Don't get hurt."

"I'm information gathering, not hunting." I muttered.

"She won't get hurt." Reece spoke up. He and Nick shared a look, that trust between them obvious, and Nick relaxed against my back. "Seriously. You two. You'll be separated for less than a day and you're already freaking out. Watch the TV and calm down."

I tried to do just that as I saw the 'cure' begin in both Hope and Karl, side by side, Antonio staying near them as Vi left the room. She flopped next to Pav, wrapping her arms around her, nuzzling into her.

"I love you, woman." She muttered, stroking Pav's tense arms. Vi spoke in Russian, gently, softly, Pav's face going pink as she grinned and shut her eyes. I was suddenly glad I didn't understand Russian.

Nick glowered at her and looked at me, muttering something in Italian, but he cut off as Antonio called, "I can hear you, Nicky."

Nick grinned sheepishly at me. "I said... never mind. I'll tell you later."

"I think I get the gist of it." I muttered and he grinned. Winked. Whatever it was, it'd sound like fun. When we weren't freaking out quietly.

We watched the TV as they waited for Hope and Karl to come out the other end of the treatment. Even with TV, even with the 'regular programming', there was at least one advertisement that was a public service announcement. Educating us on hygiene, on proper mask wearing, on the number to call if we got infected and what to do. This hotel was one of the contacts for people standard and thinking they were sick. Maybe they'd thrown us in here just in case we'd catch it from the airplane staff, I wasn't sure, but I knew we weren't going to get sick.

Hope recovered first, Karl not far behind her, and he was still sweating when he got Antonio, Nick, Pav and Vi to get ready to go. Still shaking. Karl didn't want to waste time. I couldn't say I blamed him, to be honest, but it was still a shock. We said our goodbyes, Nick and I taking longer than Vi liked, and I watched her drag him out the door, his olive hand waving as Reece shut the door, the glint of the gold ring the last thing I saw.

It took another half hour for the desk downstairs to get us a hired car, only when their doctor confirmed that none of us were in the middle of a fever, and when Daniella had the keys she had us heading downstairs without a chance to blink. Hope stayed in the room, looking tired, muttering something about needing a nap while she could grab the chance. They'd probably been watching all night.

The girl at the counter half lay across it, glasses falling off her face, eyes shut as she snored gently against a book. She must have at least been partly native American, her skin that beautiful warm tone, hair a dark brown-black, but I wondered if there was a trace of something else there as well. I wasn't sure what. I felt bad suddenly, pausing at the door, almost tempted to ...not wake her. She looked like she was in her early twenties, if that, looked like she'd been up all night. Reece glanced in, snorted, and pushed the door open.

She sat up, panicking for a moment, glasses falling as she blinked at us. "Uh. Hello. Um." She stood up, smiling, trying to wipe the drool off her mouth as discreetly as possible. "Can I help you?"

"I'm a freelance reporter. This is my friend, my photographer," I added, glancing at Reece, who winked at her, "Who'll sit in the car if he bothers you. We heard you were interested in paranormal things and we... I mean, my friend is... were trying to find out if it was interesting enough to look into more."

"Who told you I liked it?" She didn't seem suspicious, just surprised, even a little confused. It was like no one in her world knew. "I guess if you can describe it I could try and help."

I opened my mouth. I tried, words failing, that horrible cold creeping sense of dread coming back. Reece glanced at me and took over.

"Big black thing. It had glowing eyes." With his Australian accent, and that silly grin on his face, I saw it. Reece was not convincing. He might have been afraid of it too but right now, he was behaving like a big blonde teenager.

"A dementor?" She muttered, raising an eyebrow, hesitating. Maybe she thought we'd come to make fun of her paper. "You're making fun of me."

"No. This was a real sighting. This person said that they were almost killed by it and there was a nurse there to confirm that. So either they were killed by a hallucination from a movie or … that's why we're interested. Either way, it's an article that'll sell." I spoke up as her eyes came back to me. I'd have to describe it. I sighed, swallowed, Reece's arm brushing against mine. And I described it exactly as I'd seen it. Reece was more helpful now. When I mentioned owls I saw a spark of something come into her eyes. There was a sudden flash of energy there, a grin, and she was sliding on some glasses and heading for a bookshelf. "I think I can think of something. Hang on."

We followed her, this eager girl who looked like she'd only just reached twenty, as she started to pull books off the shelf. This was not easy, she was tiny, probably barely over five feet. Reece ended up lowering books to her as she pointed. It was kind of amusing to see. "So you heard about a creature that's got a face like that? I heard a few alien sightings like this. But most people don't think to ask us. They focus on aliens, aliens, aliens, but myths usually have lots of things that sound like aliens. All these sci fi movies make people forget. Can I meet who saw it?"

When I shook her head, the girl actually looked disappointed.

"It's just a story I have to follow up." I replied. "My friend's got the flu. Not that sickness-" I added, quickly, as alarm flashed across her face, "-just the flu. Hope. She's a ..."

"She's a paranormal writer. _Oh my god_. You know Hope Adams? I read all her stuff." She gawked at us, freezing, books nearly tipping out of her hands onto her head. Reece caught them as she blinked sheepishly up. It was like she'd forgotten she was even getting books out. "Um. Sorry. Okay. So no wonder why you're thinking differently. That woman is incredible. So here." She pushed a book into my arms. "You can have this for free. I wrote it."

I blinked at the book. It was clearly self-published, cheap cover, that ring binding, titled 'Paranormal Mythology- a collection of stories from our history.' Reece took it as she continued to wander around the room, sliding books out, a small mountain of them starting to gather in one of her thin arms.

"It depends on the tribe. There were some cultures that spoke about creatures like that. In popular culture too. Mostly though, it was seen as the true form of a skin walker. You'd be amazed how many alien reports describe it like that too."

"A what?" And how many, I suddenly wondered. How long had this thing been around before we'd noticed it?

"A creature that'd take form of another animal. Throw skin over shoulders and then they'd be it. Coyotes, owls, cougars, things like that. All cultures had something like it. You're Australian." She glanced up at me, pushed the glasses up her forehead. "You had the Yowies and another creature- I'll have to look up the name." She dropped the mountain of books on the desk, energised by this, heading for a shelf of books all over again. The girl loved her job, that was clear, and she spoke as she started to thumb through the books. "So you had those. And we had skin walkers. The original story is more or less forgotten now. They were these creatures that came and stole the body of our people, then at some point the story changed and it was us. Our magic men and women using it to travel. Like at some point it stopped being 'them' and became 'us'. Here." She grinned a triumphant grin as she got the book she'd wanted. "It's called a Yara-ma-yha-who. Eats and throws you up over and over till you're turned into one. It's a bit different, I guess, instead of becoming human it tries to make you one of it. Sucks blood like a vampire."

She seemed to realise she'd been the only one talking and flushed as she met our eyes. "Sorry. This is all I've done at collage. Look this stuff up. Write about it. I love to connect different myths like this."

"Me too." I admitted and she grinned.

"Isn't it cool? So ..."

"My little sister can get obsessed." A cool voice came from behind us. "I hope it was helpful."

"I was just-" She looked sheepish, shaking her head, tugging the glasses off again. "Answering questions. This is my brother, Alan. He owns the store with me."

"Usually we give you these." Alan smiled, a cool dismissive smile, as he held up the flyers. "I was getting some out of boxes for you." He handed them to us- generic 'Native American mythology' type books, nothing like what she'd been saying. "It's generally more accurate than what my baby sister says. She'll be a great writer one day with stuff like this. Lots of novels."

I saw it, hurt flash across her face, resentment, and anger. Whatever she was doing, she did _not_ plan on turning it into novels. Then her eyes met us. Whatever friendliness had faded. "So our number and email is on there. You can call-"

"Come with us." Reece spoke up. She blinked at him and he grinned, a breathtaking grin. "Seriously." I elbowed him and he blinked, shaking his head, glancing to me. "I mean... have you got your own phone number?"

"Number's on our flyer. Do you want to buy the books?" The man replied, fixing him with that look.

Alan took over as the girl faded into the background a little. We did buy them. All of them. The ones she'd piled up for us, even as she flushed, looking embarrassed, muttering something about how we didn't have to get them all, but Reece insisted. And the ones Alan brought out. Reece hoisted them all easily over his shoulder, two cloth bags worth, and even this Alan guy couldn't look disappointed. We may have looked like weirdos- buying almost all his paranormal stuff- but we'd also given him a nice little sale.

"Sorry. Opening hours are over. We're trying to keep the disease out of our family. You can come back another day or email." I noticed that the offer to call had suddenly been retracted. In other words, we were being asked to leave. Nicely.

"Right, okay. Thanks." I pulled him out of the tiny shop. I saw him turn on her, looking angry, the two of them starting to argue. And ...his shoes. Converse. Suddenly, I knew why he looked familiar. Why he'd seemed like I'd known him before. It was because I _had_ seen him before. Was it crazy to identify a person based off their shoes and ankles? Probably. I backed up, pulling Reece with me, the two of us making our way down the street slowly.

"What was her name?" Reece asked beside me as we walked away, his head back at the shop.

"Don't know. I've seen him. I think." I tried to think. Maybe I was going nuts. One man who was Native American and wearing shoes I'd hallucinated about and suddenly I thought I knew him. "Her name's probably on that book. Okay. So, we ...saw one of those?"

"I don't know. She got so easily distracted." He looked more amused than annoyed, pausing, glancing back. The girl and her older brother were heading for a car. Reece's brilliant grin came back as he stepped in their direction. "Here." He dumped the bags at me, rummaged through them in a hurry, pulling her cheaper self-published book out. "Selene? That's cute. I should ask her out."

"_Reece_..."

"Hey, we might be here for weeks if there's no planes. Can't hurt. Hold on." Before I could stop him, he was gone, jogging over.

Daniella appeared then, the car pulling up, and she wound down the window. Watching Reece. Daniella scowled as the girl blushed deep pink. "He's up to no good again?"

I shrugged. "What's new?" I opened the door, somehow, and put the heavy bags into the back seat. "We got some information before her brother shooed us out. He doesn't believe in that damn paranormal stuff like she does, I think."

"Smart man." She muttered. "Looks like he's about ready to hit Reece."

I glanced back and saw Daniella wasn't wrong. The man was towering over Reece, even though he was several inches shorter, as the girl's face only burnt deeper red. Reece just grinned at them both. CAD- Charming Australian Dundee- was back. I saw him give her something, his crocodile tooth necklace, Reece really having fun with this, the threatening brother apparently just adding to the challenge. It looked like it was about to turn nasty, just as I was tempted to go over, then Reece turned and jogged back over to us. He didn't even look at Daniella as he jumped into the back seat with the books.

"Any luck?"

"Nope. I'll try later. Her real name's Beth, according to her brother. I like Selene better." He shrugged, leaned back, head on his arms as he grinned. "Hunting is fun."

I rolled my eyes and got into the front seat beside Daniella as we took off.

Hope was waiting when we got back. She groaned softly at the amount of books Reece had got, shaking her head, and was more interested in what the girl had said rather than what she'd sold us. Hope made notes as she sat there and then she stood up. "Give me a few hours to go over these notes and these books." She replied as she stood up and retreated into the small bedroom.

I was pacing up and down within a few minutes, eyes on the water, as if I expected to see the boat they'd hired. Waiting? Waiting was a torturous thing. Hunting, investigating, talking, these things gave me something to do. Even the triplets provided great distraction.

Now I had free time and I had no clue what to do with it.

Reece was sitting on the couch with the book Selene, or Beth...or whatever she called herself... had given us. Signed copy, apparently, and I felt a bit bad for her. Writing books probably wasn't the easiest thing to do. But writing a book on a topic only a few people were interested in? Probably even harder to do.

I flopped beside him, curling up, Reece's arm coming over my shoulder as he read.

"You okay?" He glanced sideways at me.

"Bored."

Reece nodded and went back to the book, lowering it so I could see too, yawning as he read. "Think it's a skinwalker?"

"I don't know. I hadn't heard of it before." I replied, shutting my eyes, remembering those shoes. That man. "So what if it is? Do we go to a native american person and ask them how they dealt with it? They'd probably laugh in our faces."

"Probably, yeah." Reece agreed. He folded the book and glanced at me. "What you mean earlier, when you said you'd seen him before?"

"Remember? I saw a bunch of people in Forestwatch when it caught fire. It was just a spell." I shut my eyes.

"Yeah but then you saw it again. So it wasn't a spell. What did you see exactly?" He was more curious than really interested, prodding my side, and I repeated it for him. Bunch of people with a hose. Putting the fire out. Then one of them saw it and then they saw me awake and... then I was awake. Outside. "I know that thing wasn't apart of it. But the rest? Come on, Reece, we'd have noticed if half a dozen men and women were tramping through Forestwatch."

He hesitated and then nodded slowly. "Yeah, guess you're right."

"It was probably my brain trying to ...cope with it. I don't know." I didn't know. "You think Rose is bad?"

Reece shrugged. "Never met the bird. If she has your babies, she's not good. Not to me."

"But she's lost everything, Reece. All her kids. Her grandkids. I ..." I couldn't hate her. I hesitated and he squeezed my shoulder.

"Yeah. I know that much. You worry about this caring thing. I'll do the angry thing with Nick. Daniella, something on your mind?" His head twisted back to where Daniella was standing. I wondered when she'd gotten there.

"When did you two start fucking?" She snapped. Her eyes were fixed on us, inhaling slowly, and I felt white sheets thrown at us. The sheets we'd been on this morning. "I was going to change your sheets for you. House keeping aren't doing it."

I froze, Reece's eyes narrowing, as he stared at her.

"Thought you said it's not my business who you fuck. Same goes for you. Keep out of my life."

"Cheating on Nick ..."

Reece made my head turn forward, his arm tightening around my shoulders again, trying to get me to ignore her.

"It's fucking wrong." She snapped. We heard her leave, heard her slam the door as she stormed into the hallway, Reece's arm staying firm around my shoulders till she was gone.

"Not her business." Reece reminded me softly. "Relax. You and I know the truth and so does Nick."

I groaned softly, shutting my eyes, wishing ...I didn't know. I knew it'd become obvious as people got their noses back. Daniella's reaction wasn't expected though. Pulling Reece's arm off, I stood up, taking the sheet myself and carefully pulling the bag over it, before going into our room and changing the sheets myself. Reece came in after a while and helped.

The day passed by slowly, far too slowly, Daniella returning after a while. She glared at us and went to sit in the bedroom, Hope coming out, looking much more refreshed. She muttered something about falling asleep and seemed to agree that it was probably that, if the girl thought so, but she wasn't sure. The owls were a hint.

"There _were_ supernaturals called skin walkers." Hope said, as she accepted the coffee from me, yawning a huge yawn. "Thanks for this. The thing is, they were nothing like what you saw. The old records of them had them as regular people. Like werewolves, except that they just shifted into cougars instead. I didn't even know about the old myths till this book went into it a bit more detail. I underlined bits with a pencil, hope you don't mind. The skin-walkers died out decades ago. They were all Native American and ...well, you don't have to be American to know how the white invasion went for them." She dropped one of the books in front of us. Reece and I read, Daniella flipping through the room service menu, her eyes on anything except us.

Hope continued, "Some tribes thought they could steal your body by looking you in the eyes." When I twitched, the memory of it attacking only when I'd made eye contact, she breathed in slowly. "I see. That's when it attacked you."

"How much can you see?"

"When it comes to what you two saw? Everything." Hope's lips twitched, though again I wasn't sure whether it was a grimace or an attempt to hide that smile she'd had earlier. Chaos demon. It was like she was attracted to this stuff. "So it's not your regular supernatural. It has no body. The skin-walkers we have records of were always human shaped between their animal forms. That was when I remembered what you, and she, had said about the 'first' ones."

"That they stopped being separate from the tribes. That they became apart of the tribes. It makes me wonder if they weren't originally from here at all." Hope said softly. She pushed another book where she'd outlined something more or less to this extent. "Not from outer space, though I don't know, but not from America. So maybe they came from somewhere else and merged with the people here. Joined them. The first supernaturals in America. The interesting thing is that several of these early accounts also mention that they could make you sick." Sick? My ears perked up then, Hope's lips twitching as she caught my head swing up a fraction. "_Exactly_. These stories never said it was this devastating though. If it had been, the legend would have never faded like this, and I doubt they would have ever forgotten it. But it's interesting timing. I'd love to meet this girl. Ask her more questions. I read her paper and she's surprisingly accurate about us, even if she makes some pretty obvious mistakes, so she might know more."

"I can set up a meeting." Reece piped up. He held up his hand, grinned a triumphant grin, his phone there. "I may have slipped her my number. She took thirty minutes to contact me."

Daniella muttered something and went for the bedroom. His eyes followed her, smile fading a moment, only to meet my expression.

"You might want to make sure her brother doesn't come." I muttered. Hope blinked. "He wasn't exactly supportive of her interests. Kept acting like it was a story. But she knew you. I think she's a fan."

"That's how most humans see it. There's always the few humans that seem to see more in the world than others. Your Selene might be one of them. Sensitive humans." Hope smiled somewhat. "Mention that I'd like to meet her. I suppose I can handle a fan for a few hours. If we don't do something tonight we're going to go crazy."

"I'm staying here." Daniella called from the bedroom. "Or I'll go crazy."

"I suppose one of us should stay here." Hope glanced at her. She frowned somewhat, tilted her head, and then shook it as if shaking a fly free. "In case Elena calls."

"Exactly. I need a nap." Daniella shut the door before anyone could answer. I heard the lock going.

Reece frowned now, openly, his eyes fixed on the door. Then he met my eyes and he tried to smile. "So, we go out for dinner? Are places even open?"

"Curfew is at nine." Hope replied. "Some places stayed open. I'll book us a table. You contact this girl and let her know."

Reece nodded and headed for our room as Hope flipped through her phone for a place to eat. I relaxed back, shoved a cookie into my mouth, and focused on that. On action. On what we might have figured out _without_ Jamie's help. I still didn't know why Jamie was forbidden from talking about it though. That part made no sense. Was it a ghost issue? Something that wasn't alive anymore? Hope had said they'd died out a long time ago. Supernaturals haunting us, now _that_ was a problem I didn't know how to handle.

"Success." Reece called. "She's meeting us outside here at six. Seems excited."

"I'll get us a taxi and table nearby. On the water." Hope called back, lifting her phone, and got to work.

Elena texted me while we waited for the afternoon to drag by. Reece and I spent half of it eating much to Hope's bemusement, taking out our need for activity by chewing on things, or watching Crocodile dundee. This amused her, particularly when Reece had to read out the male lines, his accent matching his exactly. He didn't exactly speak like that, not those words, but his accent? Perfect copy. I had the city version- more Americanised- but I had traces of it.

"Jamie been told to tell us to stop digging." I muttered.

"Elena hasn't ordered it?" Reece glanced at my phone.

"Looks like she's just passing a message along." I grinned. In other words- it wasn't an order. It was a suggestion. "It'd be rude of us to cancel this meeting when Selene is such a fan of Hope."

"I agree." Reece grinned. He glanced at Hope, who'd fallen asleep again, adding, "No need to worry her about it then." He lay down, head in my lap, eyes going back to the movie. Reece's smile faded as he watched the landscape.

"You homesick?"

Reece nodded, reaching up for my hand, pulling it into his hair. The gesture was pretty clear. I stroked his scalp, gently, kissing my palm. "A little. I have to go back soon."

"Why?" I watched the movie, watched them in some gunfight in the bush, aware that I too sort of missed it. The area I'd come from had been wetter than this place in the movie but it was never far from any place in Australia- that dry land, that grey toned bush, the sun.

"I got to go back and kill the assholes who killed my parents." He said it so casually, so calmly, but the trace of any charming side of Reece was gone. "Clayton thinks I'm nearly ready."

My heart froze at that. A different kind of fear came. I thought I might have known about this, some time ago, but … as much as I understood the need for revenge, the need to hunt, I didn't want Reece to die. The idea scared me. "You going alone?"

"Maybe." He leaned up, tugging my head down, Reece's eyes going over Hope for a moment before he kissed me. Hard. "We've got to right wrongs. You got your chance, now it's my turn."

I knew. I tried to smile, tried to accept it, Reece's eyes fixed in mine. "Yeah. I know. I just don't like the idea of you getting hurt."

Reece held up his hand with the two fingers cut down and shrugged. "I don't plan on getting killed, you know, that's why I've let Clayton beat me up. Last time I tried to take on mutts this happened." He stared at where his fingers had been once. "Scared me enough to realise I can't do things on my own all the time. We need pack. We're made for it. So if you want to come..."

"Of course I want to come." I snapped and he nodded. "If I can."

"If you can." Reece agreed. His head went back to the movie. "If Nick and Elena are okay with it."

That decided we went back to the movie, watching it, the hours going past far too slowly. Finally it was time to get ready. Smart casual, apparently, which basically meant we wore black. Black was easy. I wondered if the rest were still on the boat, still watching the house, wished I could ...not check in. Just know. Have an idea where they were. Hope was the only one of us who had something colorful and she let me a blue scarf, probably so we didn't look too out of place in the autumn evening.

We headed downstairs after Hope made sure Daniella didn't want to come, she was still very stubborn about this, and made our way outside to wait for the girl from the bookstore.


	27. Seperation

Last two have been a bit short. :) This will change... but I wanted to keep this one short!

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><p>My suspicion that our instincts would go nuts in this city, with the fear and sickness, was confirmed as we walked down the street with Selene. I might have missed it, having driven to her bookstore, but now that we were actually walking around humans and the stench of fear and sickness rising around us was obvious, even as a human I felt this sense of being surrounded by prey and being <em>hungry<em>. From the look on Reece's face, he was going through the same thing, and Hope kept glancing at us two as if she half expected us to change right then and there.

But Selene was gushing at her, literally _gushing_, and it wasn't long before the two of them were walking ahead of us. It was kind of amusing- from the back, you might have mistaken them for sisters. Dark hair, warm skin, almost the same height. They got funny looks as they walked ahead, probably discussing something most humans would have thought was downright mad, but Hope had stopped looking at us and was actually looking interested in Selene. We trailed behind them, more like guards than additional members of the party, the streets along the beach still busy with people in the darkening night.

"Daniella's following." He murmured, wrapping an arm over my shoulder, and grinned. "Can't keep away from me."

I rolled my eyes and shoved him back. "Don't piss her off. We'll have to talk to her."

"Why?" He shrugged it off and hurried ahead as Hope and Selene found the place they were looking for.

We took a seat at the table and tugged our masks off. Daniella was there- I smelt her a moment- but she wasn't coming in. I had to guess she was keeping watch. Maybe Elena had ordered her to, I wasn't sure, I was tempted to take food out to her. But she could handle that. There were plenty of places to eat.

"So you guys think it was a skinwalker?" Selene asked when we were alone in the corner. When no one answered, she sat up straighter. "You do, don't you?"

"No accounts of that legend match what we saw." Hope said softly. "How did you get your information?"

"Books. There's only a few sentences here and there, only a few legends, most of them are about the ones that look like us." She sipped the water, eyes alive with energy, passion, Reece's eyes fixed on her. "But then I found one sentence about this skin-walker that looked like it was made out of a shadow with glowing eyes. I wanted to know more and I looked into it. Then it became part of my college paper."

Selene went quiet as the waiter came across and we ordered our dinner, her cheeks flushed, a content smile on her face.

"You believe this stuff?" She asked, eager, as her eyes met Hope's eyes. "The paranormal?"

Hope couldn't say no. I wondered what she did say normally, but in the face of such an enthusiastic young woman, who was flushed with excitement over the topic... "I believe it. There's a lot of false stories but some of them are evidence for something."

"Exactly." Selene grinned. "My brothers think I'm mad. They all do. They say it's just stories but … I see things and I think they don't."

"Like what?" Hope leaned closer.

"Owls." Selene's eyes went to Reece when he coughed, her cheeks going red, adding, "No, I mean, I see them. All the time. But no one in my family sees them. They took me to see a psychologist when I was younger and I learnt to stop talking about what I saw, to check if they saw it first." There was a flash of pain, of resentment, but she was back to her glowing smile again when Hope changed the subject to Yetis.

Reece and I tried to eat normally, like the humans, our plate of food probably a good amount for any human. For a werewolf? It was a snack. This was why we'd eaten earlier and we didn't need to throw food down our throats like crazy starving wolves... I could eat like a girl. Which apparently meant barely eating at all, from the looks of it, and letting Reece steal food off my plate. He got away with it a few times. The third time I nearly stabbed him with my fork.

He found easy prey in Selene though, she was very happy to offer him what she was too full to eat, barely touching her food. I had this urge to pile all my food onto her plate. She was thin. Maybe it was a natural thinness, I had to guess it was, but ...I had this urge to fatten the girl up. This was coming from me, who spent half the time wondering if I had to diet, because I wasn't light enough! It wasn't because she dieted either. It looked like she just got distracted. She'd spent half the night so busy talking with Hope about Yetis, ghosts, aliens, all sorts of things, that she forgot she had a glass held halfway up to her mouth for a good five minutes.

A banging on the glass made us all jump. Alan stood outside, face enraged, as he glared at his sister.

"Um." Selene stood up, in a hurry, her face draining. "I suppose this is it. Here." She slipped money onto the table, or tried to, but Reece blocked her.

"How old are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nineteen." She didn't meet his eyes.

"You have any alcohol?" Reece added, glancing at the window as Alan banged on the door again.

"Of course not." Selene replied. Stood up. Alan was coming in, apparently. "Look, he's just protec-"

"I'll deal with it then." Reece stood up and pushed Alan outside.

I fumbled for money now. The last thing we needed was for Reece to get into some kind of stupid fight because he was bored. Hope seemed to get it as well and stood up.

"We can get some coffee." She suggested, eyes meeting Selene's eyes. "You aren't a child. You can decide."

"I need some coffee." Selene agreed, glancing back at where Reece and Alan were arguing, a deep sign. "He's been raising me since our parents died. He's a little protective."

"I noticed." I muttered. We headed outside as Reece and Alan argued, past them, drawing Selene down the street and away so fast that it took Reece a few seconds to realised we'd gone on ahead without him. I saw, just for a moment, Daniella move too, steam rising from a hot drink in her hands, her dark brown hair hidden under a hood.

Reece jogged after us after calling something to Daniella, receiving a sharp insult back, Alan falling back, stalking after us like some anxious father. He seemed less stressed now, maybe he'd not seen Hope and myself with her, maybe thought Reece was alone with her. That still kind of annoyed me. What was wrong with Reece? He was a bit cocky, tall, a bit muscular... but who wouldn't want him to date their sisters? You just had to get to know him a bit. But maybe I was a bit bias when it came to Reece.

"An hour to curfew." Hope informed us as she checked her watch. "Want to head back in half an hour? You could stay overnight with us. Give us time to talk more."

"That's a bad idea." Selene shook her head, a small smile. "I'd love to but if I did, Alan would break the curfew waiting for me to come out. We can meet after work tomorrow, if you like."

"That might work too." Hope agreed softly. I wondered if we'd even be here tomorrow. If Vi was getting her way, they'd be just about storming that house for babies right now, or at least hunting them down. This was a good distraction from that. "Tell me, did the legends ever speak about how skin-walkers were fought against?"

"Fought? There were some ways. You said their full name and they'd die three days later." Selene ordered a coffee. She glanced up as something flew overhead, then at us, checking. "You see it?"

"The owl?" Hope glanced up to it. "Why?"

"No one else does." She muttered. There was a curious look in her face as she looked at each of us now. We all gazed up to the owl, a reasonable sized one, Reece shuddering and muttering something about creepy ass eyes.

"Let's leave." He muttered, leading us away, down onto the beach. "Owls can't find mice on beaches."

No one argued with this. I had to agree. The owl creeped me out big time.

"Sorry, you were saying?" Hope sipped at the coffee in her hands.

Selene blinked and continued. "Sorry. Okay. So there's that. Or you would wound them then look for who had the wound as a human, then kill them the old fashioned way." Selene jumped as the owl flew past her, flew past so close that it grazed her head, jumping. "Maybe they eat crabs."

I glanced at my phone as it vibrated. Elena. Jamie says shut up. Shut up? That was unhelpful. Selene was speaking, but her voice was lower, and I felt it. The slight scent of fear coming from her. I glanced at her and she shrugged at me, sheepish.

"Scary stories at night. Like talking about aliens under the stars. It's scary and thrilling all at once." She admitted. "I don't usually talk about it at night. I'll be up all night in the lightest room I can find."

"Which is why you're coming with us." Reece decided. Crossed his arms. "We'll be up all night too. Scary stories, room service, and no big brother trying to protect you."

"I ..."

"Don't you have any fun?" He shot her that charming look again, that 'knees weak' look, and I saw all arguments disolve. I was tempted to hit him. She was just a few years younger than us, sure, but I had this urge to ...I didn't know. Protect her. Maybe it was because she was so tiny. Or maybe it was because I'd seen a similar look on Nick's face when he first me in New York and was trying to get me to have fun.

Daniella snorted, some distance away, over in an alley. Reece ignored her.

"Okay. I'll come." She agreed, glancing at us, a faint flush there. "Is there even room?"

"It's a big suite. We'll throw Reece into one of the bedrooms." I reassured her. "If he misbehaves he can talk through the door."

"Aw. Let me flirt in peace." He ducked my kick, frowning, and then froze. The look on his face now was not charming, or suggestive, or angry. It was fear, blind panic, I knew what was behind us.

Or I thought I did. I inhaled, smelt people, and turned to see it. But it wasn't alone. I backed up, against Selene, pushing her behind us. She stared past us and I heard a low fearful cry die in her throat, felt her slight 'thrill fear' go into full on panic fear, flooding our noses, our instincts, become something like prey. To me. To Reece, it was different, and I saw it. His head twitched, nostrils flaring, and the fear that'd been there turned into rage. Full on _rage_.

"Please tell me you see that." She stammered, her heart racing, Reece shoving her behind him.

"We see it." He growled, a low deep growl from deep in his chest, eyes narrowing. Reece's hand tried to pull me back too. "Same thing?"

I nodded. The rage increased. So it wasn't just her fear, it was mine, mine turning Reece's logic into something else. My heart was racing, fear freezing my body, my limbs, I couldn't speak. Hope, who had been fine just a second ago, was gone. She was on the ground, her eyes rolling back, fighting with something. I wasn't sure what and I didn't have the breath to ask.

It wasn't alone.

People, real people... Like, _actual people_, with knives and everything, behind it. People? I couldn't even make eye contact with them. I just stared at the shadows, eyes wide, suddenly sensing I was prey. Not a predator. Not even remotely close to it. The wolf in me whined, wanted to back up, wanted to piss all over myself in fear. Somehow I kept from that... but it wasn't going to take much to make it happen.

"Hey, you bastards." A yell came, cutting through the air heavy with fear, Daniella. She glared at them like they were a bunch of scary thugs, not a bunch of full on fearful monsters. Something flew at one. Her cup of hot coffee, right at it, falling right through it. I saw them turn, the humans going up for her, and she just stood her ground, glaring at them, probably making eye contact. She was _pissed off_. I didn't get how she couldn't be afraid of them. She yelled, "Bugger off," and Reece yelled something as one of the men suddenly attacked, knife flashing, flames reaching for her. Daniella's fist went right through the flames, the smell of burning skin, and hit the man in the face. He fell down the slope on the sand and didn't move. A fight broke out, Daniella's fists flying, and I saw flashes of things. Spells? This was not a fair fight.

"Shit." Reece raced up, running, only to freeze when that thing returned its gaze onto us. The effect was like being weighed down with fear, like it could paralyse us. Selene's terror increased, Hope struggled with her own mind, and I tried to move...

The fight backed up into the street and then into an alleyway. The thing vanished, Selene collapsing, Reece racing after them as I tried to hoist her and Hope up. Several of the people approached us. The ones that hadn't gone for Daniella.

I tried to fight, frustrated as spells struck me, knocking me sideways, or burning, or stinging, too busy trying to keep them safe to know or care which or who or what was coming. Fists and feet met skin, bone broke, but even though I outdid them in strength, they were outdoing me in numbers. The last two had got Reece in a similar problem- he couldn't go after Daniella. He was blocked into a corner. Bad place to block him in, they'd pay for it, but... it was delaying us.

It wasn't me they were after. It was Selene. I heard her shriek as oen of them grabbed her hair, spinning around, a blow to the head staggering me as they tried to drag her away by her hair. Something came flying at them. That owl. It was flying at them, trying to claw at their eyes, and for a moment I wondered suddenly if it really was as creepy as it looked. When I saw heard an unearthly scream from one of the women, an eyeball literally impaled on a claw, between strikes, saw the owl tug it out and throw it aside, I decided. Yes. It really _was_ as creepy as it looked. It was defending Selene though. I turned, trying to deal with the last two, as it kept the injured woman at bay.

Something struck me hard across the head, staggering me, a flash of silver metal in the darkness slicing across my body and only just missing it and then Reece was back. A snap of the neck, a fist to a skull, and the two were limp in the sand. Not moving. He kicked the knife, disgusted, and headed for the woman.

"Call the Cabal." Hope spluttered, trying to stand, her eyes foggy, distant, unfocsued. "We can't clean this up."

She was right. I called Elena, as Reece dealt with the last woman, shaking, head pounding and body aching from the fight. She got straight onto it as Reece finished, breathing hard, reaching down to make sure Selene was fine.

"She's okay." Hope tried to focus. "Fainted. Too much. Human minds, spells, even sensitive ones can't take this much. Daniella."

"Shit." Reece swore, heading back up the beach, struggling in the soft sand as it gave way. We headed after him, Selene in my arms, seeing the flash of something in an alleyway. Daniella had taken it off the streets again- probably trying to keep it low key. As if _that_ was possible. We heard a car roar down the alleyway, heard a shout, and then the fight was over. So suddenly, so quickly, and Daniella's breathing was irregular. Reece raced across the street, the two of us close behind, and we skidded into the dark alleyway.

"Dani!" Reece took about half a second to locate her, running, flinging himself across something in his way and at some slumped over further away, their breathing hard, bitter laughing. And coughing. Daniella. I smelt it. Blood, blood all over the place, and laughter mixed with the sound of ...bubbles?

"I've got her." Hope was carefully laying Selene down, throwing a jacket over her. "She's fine. Go."

I went, hurrying around the bin Reece had jumped over, and found him holding onto her as she lay there. Staring at him with the intensity I usually only saw coming from Reece, that anger, grief, blood bubbling out of her lips as she breathed in and out. Tried to. One of her lungs, I heard it, it wasn't doing anything. The other one was struggling.

"Hospital." Reece was trying to pick her up, ignoring her hands, ignoring her trying to pry him off her. "Anne, call one."

"We ..." What could I say? We couldn't? Her DNA was going to give us away? I pulled my phone out, hand shaking, trying to think. Would Elena say yes? I started to dial her, trying to get her, and her phone was engaged.

Reece's eyes came up to me, pleading, deathly afraid like I'd never seen him. Not even the monster got this expression, this mixture of grief and fear, the plea softer. "Please. Anne, please. Call one. Dani, come on. I can't wait for you there." Her head was slumping, the coppery smell of blood increasing in the damp air, Reece's plea softer, "I love you. Stay with me. I'll wait longer."

"You deserved better." Daniella muttered, shoving at him, even now trying to push him away. The laughter in her face was gone. Everything was gone. It was a shell, that was it, just an empty body.

Something in Reece face snapped when Daniella's heart stopped. He held her, shaking her, the glint of water in the darkness as he tried to shake her back, as if he expected it to make her heart start again.

I flopped down. Waited. They'd sent me back, those ghosts, what about her?

The blood was everywhere. All over her, all over Reece, all over the dark concrete, the mask around her neck blood red. Something glinted as he dropped to his knees, holding her harder against him, reflecting light.

A knife. I saw it, saw the handle of it, planted so perfectly in her chest, just a fraction to the left. Right above the heart.

She wasn't coming back. Her body couldn't repair that.

"Reece..."

"Fuck off." He growled at I reached for him, the feral expression, clutching to her harder, her head lolling back as he tried to wake her. "No, it's ...call one. Why haven't you called one?"

"Reece, she's gone." The words, the memory of it, and what she'd had to go through. It didn't seem fair. It didn't seem fair, after all she'd gone through, after all she'd tried to … and she'd died. In an alley. Not even in a fair fight.

"I don't deserve better. Come back. Don't do this. _Dani_." He was pleading, whispering, pulling her head into his shoulder, ignoring every sense in his body that told him that she was gone. "Dani, _please_."

There was a shuddering breath in, Reece's head against her neck, a low muffled moan of pain from him when she didn't answer. I reached for him, his body trying to throw me back, and slid back again. Hope coming over with Selene in her arms. She was struggling but …

"We have to get off the streets." She said, quietly. "Reece. We have to go back."

Reece didn't answer. He ignored her, clutching onto Daniella, his shoulders shaking as he whimpered. Soft ones, so soft I could barely hear them, the anguish in them breaking my heart. He kept repeating words, most of them I didn't catch, but 'I don't understand' I did catch... like he was a child.

"Reece, we have to get her inside. It's cold out." I heard my voice come, soft, as if he was an upset toddler. Reason with him.

"You can't take her." He didn't look up, he didn't look at us, just held onto the limp body harder, his arms shaking, his tears running down her bare neck. "Can't."

"We're not taking her. You have to bring her inside. Reece..." I reached out for him, and when he shoved me back, I felt it. His skin. Starting to ripple. He was going to change right here and now, a grieving wolf, and …

"Hope, get the car and bring it here." I glanced at her, through my own tears, trying to think. I had to stop him, it was too dangerous, he wouldn't... he was already out of control. Her face had drained of blood and she nodded, backing up, awkward with Selene in her arms. "You better hurry. Leave Selene here. I'll watch her."

Hope lowered her down as Reece's body started to contort, his whimpers turning into moans of pain, running now, her heels thrown to one side as they slowed her down. I stood up, legs shaking, trying to not slip in the slippery black puddle all over the ground. In Daniella's blood, I realised, so much of it...

I hoped this worked. His head swung back, the change starting to mutate his face, and I slammed my fist into his head hard. Reece fell backwards, eyes rolling back, and to my relief his body started to shift back to human, arms still tight around Daniella's body. The car skidded down the alley, Hope getting out, and I got Reece into the back seat with Daniella as she got Selene into the front seat. Blood covered everything, us, the seat, I didn't know what to do except get them in.

"We're going to have to get in through a different entrance." Hope said, her voice shaking, hands tight around the wheel. "Tie him up."

I was already doing it, reluctantly separating his arms from Daniella's body, tears running down my face as I lowered her gently into the other side of the car. For the first time since I'd met her, she looked peaceful, and I realised that she must have spent every day fighting. Battling her memories, ghosts, Reece's constant reminder... I didn't understand why she wanted to be seen as a bad person, why she never resisted that image, but I'd never seen her happy either. A low sob came from my throat as I reached over to pull her head into a better position. I just hoped it was my mum who got her. Who'd taken her away. I didn't know why I wanted that. I just wanted someone to care for her.

Reece groaned softly, tears still leaking down his cheeks, as I reached out and bound his hands so that he couldn't get free.

"I don't know how we'll get them up." I tried to speak, voice shaking, Hope's eyes meeting mine. She didn't know either. "One at a time. I guess."

"One at a time." She agreed.

That was how we did it. Daniella first, wrapped in a blanket, so that only her face showed. I hoped we could claim she'd fallen asleep, even though she was pale, even through she stank of blood. Then Selene, who had started to wake and Hope could lead up, with me carrying Reece over one shoulder.

I knew that I should have thought. Should have ...I didn't know. Sniff the alleyway for clues. Hunt. Do something. I couldn't do it. When I got Reece onto the couch, I struggled to breathe, the grief starting to crash down on my head. It was for him that I cleaned Daniella, stripped the bloody clothes off her, pulled the knife out carefully with a plastic bag- I didn't want to loose the scent- and knelt beside her in the bath as the shower poured down across her, cleaning her pale skin, her short rich brown hair, green eyes empty of anything that might have been her once. The water started to wash the blood off, my eyes going over scars that marked what she'd been through. The line down her stomach where they'd cut her open, taking her child and her hope for more children with it, cuts, bite marks, claw marks, long thin scars like the ones on my back. We'd survived so much torture and torment...

"Anne."

I met Reece's eyes through the tears in my own, mirroring his grief, and he flopped beside me, breathing in and out hard, leaning against my shoulder as he gazed down at her.

"I can't do it." He said, quietly, against my back. "I can't do it. This. I can't do this. She was it. I was waiting for her. I was fighting for her. It was ...it was always about her. I can't do it. She can't have done this."

"She didn't." I didn't turn around, I let him lean against my back, reaching down. It was just a tiny cut, just a few inches, nothing compared to the scars across her body. Such a tiny thing.

"Elena wants us to come home." Hope said softly from the door. "To Antonio's house. She's calling them. We'll have to drive."

"It's a day's drive." Reece said, quiet, his breathing hitching as I turned off the shower. "I can't drive."

"I can." Hope said softly.

"So can I." Another voice spoke up. My head swung up to see Selene standing there, her face pale, grasping onto the doorway as her eyes fixed on Daniella. "I can drive too."

She'd seen too much. I knew that. I knew what happened to humans who did. But she … couldn't we let her go? "If you don't tell anyone, you can go. Your brother..." I muttered. Ignored Hope's sharp inhale.

"No, I'm coming. I can't... you're taking me. I'm an expert. I saw it too." Selene protested. "I saw it and I have to come. Alan will have to get used to me having my own life sooner or later."

"I'll dry her and dress her." Reece ignored all of us. We watched as he gently lifted Daniella's body up in a towel, carrying it into the bedroom, his legs shaking. I squeezed my eyes shut, another wave of pain flooding over me at the tenderness there, the love. Damn it. Why wasn't life happy endings? It should have been. No one should suffer like that. Not Reece, not her, not anyone.

"I'll pack up things." Hope said quietly. "Selene, if you're coming, I'm going to need your help."

The two of them left. I sat there, surrounded by the blood, tears running down my face. I had to clean. I did it slowly, barely able to move, trying to think. Knife in bag- check. Bloody clothing in another bag. Check. Clean up all blood and bag anything that was too stained to clean. I worked on that, worked like I was a robot, vision blurry with the moisture that kept leaking out of my eyes. When Hope came for the bags, I told her we had to take them back with us, Elena needed them. She nodded without a word. Maybe Elena would just burn them. I didn't know.

"Car's waiting." Reece's voice came quietly from the door. I jumped, I'd been sitting there, his eyes fixed on me. I didn't know how long I'd been sitting on the bathroom floor. "We have to go. The rest will get their things when they're done in the morning and check."

"Okay." I stood up, glancing around me, and went out. Daniella was gone, the sheets with her, our bags downstairs. Curfew was about to start- we had to hurry. I didn't even bother with the mask.

Selene drove at first- she knew the city- and I sat with Reece in the back seat, Daniella wrapped up carefully in a sheet, a pillow against her head. It wasn't just in case we were pulled up, I knew that deep down, I knew Reece couldn't ...he couldn't do it. Put her in a boot. Leave her hidden like she was just some mutt we'd killed.

I felt hands grasp for mine, Reece's body shifting closer, his head hiding against my neck. He was shaking again, soft inhales the only hint that he was crying again, trying to hide it. It wasn't okay. I wrapped my arms around him, breathing in and out slowly, trying to stay calm. Strong. Tried to not do it all over again.

The image of when we'd first seen her, Nick and myself, naked, knife in hand, tortured, terrified, abused, and still full of energy, green eyes flashing with the wounded animal that was ready to kill anything to escape. _"You better bloody well be the rescue party or you may as well leave me here__." _Those exact words. That did it. I started to cry again, grieving with Reece, because as much as she'd pissed me off... a lot... I couldn't be angry with her. Not when I'd been through what she had.

I would have liked to not cry for the trip. Truth was, at least for the first six or so hours until Hope swapped with Selene, I did. So did Reece, though he hid it against my shoulder, neither of us coping at all with this. At some point Reece fell asleep and I joined him not long after.

A screech of tires woke me, a horrible crashing sound, metal and glass shattering and contorting, my body flying forward only to be stopped by the seatbelt around my stomach burning into my skin, cutting and ripping it. Reece flew forward too, the seatbelt stopping him.

Then we were falling. Time seemed to slow. I saw it, saw the ground coming up to meet the front of the car, Hope's small frame outlined against a white airbag, Selene on the other side. Saw Daniella's limp body fly forward too, against her seatbelt, someone saying something and...

It. The skin-walker. Right at the bottom of the ravine, right there, arms wide open, as if it was waiting for us to crash. And there wasn't a thing we could do to stop it.

The ground met us.


	28. Broken

"Fancy seeing you here." A familiar voice came from beside me. I opened my eyes and … I was sitting on the wreck of the car. The dark haired woman, Eve, was sitting beside me, leaning back, gazing casually up at the stars. "That thing's really got it in for you. We tried to warn you, you know, but you're as fucking stubborn as your children."

Eve. The dead woman Jamie saw. I stared around, shocked, realising that once again I was not in my body. Reece was down below, dragging my limb body out, eyes wide open and empty like Daniella's had been. His chest was heaving with raggad breathing, panicked, only barely glancing or noticing as Hope dragged herself out. Any other time and he'd have been a gentlemen. She had to do it herself though.

"Poor guy." She commented softly, leaning over, as he tried to do CPR. "You guys got us some good information though. Skin-walkers. We'd never have thought of it."

"Is this it?" I asked, quiet. The grief those words invoked in me, the idea that I had to leave Reece right now, it made something in my chest hurt. "I can't leave him like that."

"We're still not ready for you. Apparently you're contracted to have another child." She shook her head, taking out her sword, gazing at it. Eve said it so casually, so calmly, but she glanced sideways at me. "Maybe next time we meet."

"_Contracted_? What, now?" My eyes were still fixed on Reece. He was struggling to breathe, struggling to do CPR, panic and the urge to change fighting with his urge to get me back. "I'm not ready for that."

Eve smiled somewhat. "Not for a while. You can relax. The fates aren't that cruel usually. But-" Her smile faded as she gazed down, her eyes going to my legs that were still half in the car. Blood. Seeping out. "It was delayed a little while. The child will come back for another go later."

I stared at the pool of blood starting to stain the ground between the pants. It took a while to understand why I was seeing it, took a while till I saw the bruise around my stomach, remembered the seatbelt. It was my body and it was miscarrying.

"It's not easy." She said softly. Now she wasn't smiling. "Just try and remember. It's the same child. It's not giving up."

"It's ..."

"Dying. It knew it would. We tried to warn it that you wouldn't go full term this time but its one fucking stubborn kid. Good luck with it." She said quietly, a form coming. Lillian. Eve shifted down to kneel beside my body. I felt desperate to get back in. Eve gently reached down through my body and pulled out something, a small glowing orb of light, glowing gently in her hands. "Didn't we? Go back and wait a little longer."

She handed it to Lillian, the form growing large, a large orb of light and energy. Lillian smiled and waved, fading away with it in her hand.

"If I'm not staying dead, then..."

"Reece is terrible at CPR. Oh. Hello. I'm Eve. Savannah's mother." She glanced up as she moved back up. Eve shrugged and flopped back down beside me. "Ever thought about getting your tubes tied?"

I scowled at her question and she smirked at me. "Thought I was meant to have a stubborn child."

"You've got five of them. But yeah. Think about it after." She stood back up. "We've got a minute or two before the cavalry fly in. Here. Follow me."

Just like that, I was following, floating in a dark room. Standing. I wasn't sure what you called it when you had your feet on the ground but you felt nothing there. Eve leaned against a wall casually, standing beside a bed, the sound of two babies sleeping filling my ears. My babies.

"Like I said, maybe you should get your tubes tied." She suggested lightly, amused as I rushed over to the crib. I tried to touch them. No luck. "Relax. Look behind you."

I looked behind me. The window was open and someone was coming in, slowly, adrenaline pumping through them. _Karl and Nick. _A quick heave and they were in the building. Stared around. They saw what I had missed straight away- that there was a body on the bed, Karl holding his finger to his lip to Nick. Nick nodded.

They crept to the bed, slowly, their heads moving in odd directions. It was to catch the sound of anything beside our babies, I knew it, but it still looked funny. The house was quiet. It was like the only people in the house was them and the babies.

"She's dead." Karl said softly, prodding the still form. "Can't be long either." He bent a limb, a long grey-ish limb, one of the bare feet going an odd shade of purple. "She's still bendable."

"Don't play with her." Nick hissed. He crossed to the crib right beside me, not seeing me, the look of relief on his face as he saw the twins lying there. "How did she die?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Karl dropped the leg and went for one of the children. He may have been cold to us but he was careful with Reece, gently lifting him up, clearly having experience in this. "Let's get them and get the hell out of here. Don't know where her guards went but we don't want them to return. Antonio."

Antonio's head popped around the doorway. "I found him."

"We'll remove any evidence that babies were ever here. The guards might know but as she had them illegally, they won't speak up. What about the old man?"

"Dead. He's gone stiff. At least four hours dead, maybe longer." He came in and took both Reece and Rose, careful, and Karl started to dismantle the crib as Nick searched the room in the dark for anything else related to the children.

"There we go." Eve said, loudly, making me jump. "Mother to mother, I figured you'd want to know they're okay. They'll find her and assume it was a heart attack, she was pretty old, her heart just stopped. Being dead has some advantages. But you've got to go back soon and I want to show you something else."

Then, suddenly, we were back at the crash. What a contrast to the bedroom, so richly decorated, with the people I loved inside it.

"Look, here they come. Watch this." Eve pointed.

I watched. I had expected to see someone I knew. Instead I saw owls again. A lot of owls. Reece didn't notice- he was frantic now, pushing so hard on my chest that I was afraid he'd break my ribs, pleading.

"Where's Daniella?" I asked, suddenly.

"Got an appointment. You can't see her." She said it like Daniella had stepped out of the office not 'Daniella's dead'. "She's not allowed to stay here."

"Bet she argued about that." I muttered. But I still wished I could see her. See that she was okay, that she was happy, something.

"She's not impressed about the whole thing. Now watch the owls and stop getting distracted. Watch this." Eve pointed. The owls had circled around the clearing where the car had crashed, circling, landing on the ground. Then … one shifted. It was hard to describe. The wings seemed to bend in an unnatural position, and suddenly it was changing, the feathers sliding backwards as if they were a _coat_, a man's body contorting into a human shape.

His eyes snapped up to Eve and myself. He looked a bit startled and jogged over to Reece, shoving him aside, taking over the CPR. It was Alan. I gawked at him. His head came back up to me, eyes fixing in mine, before he returned his attention to my body.

"Can he see us?" He'd just made _eye contact_. I blinked.

"That's how they keep out of our attention, isn't it? You've been hiding for a long time." She called to the man, who scowled, shooting her a look. "Hurry up and put her back. I've got a job to do."

"Go find my sister, witch." He snapped. Like she was really there. Reece's head searched the space we sat, confused, but the man had gone back to CPR.

"Not my job." She stood up and shoved at me. "Get back in there. And stay there! I can't keep rushing back and forward to have chats."

Suddenly, I _was_ there, the mouth pressed against mine, lungs filling with air that smelt like bird. Eve was gone. My stomach and hips hurt, hurt badly, the warm blood seeping out, my heart racing under the aching ribcage. It was like being slammed with mortality AND getting injured all at once, I gasped, heart racing, all trace of Eve or the spirit world long gone.

"Where's my sister?" Alan hissed, leaning back, the owls taking off. "What happened?"

"Anne!" Reece grabbed me, pushing him aside, tugging me out of the wreck and into his arms.

"I said-" Alan repeated, voice low. "_Where's my sister_."

Reece glanced back at him. There was no anger, just grief, and guilt. "She … I don't know. She and Daniella aren't there."

"Daniell..." I swung around, staring at the car, but he was right. Daniella's body was gone. Selene was gone too.

The man swore and stood up, glancing up, the owls taking off. I inhaled slowly, pulling Reece hard against me, his heart racing against mine.

"Where are you bleeding?"

I glanced down, face draining of blood, aware of what was going on now. Even though Eve had told me this child wasn't giving up, even though I didn't want anymore children... a miscarriage was a miscarriage. Seven months. I was eight weeks along then.

"Anne?" Reece's gaze followed mine. "Is that ..."

"I was pregnant, apparently." I admitted and he inhaled sharply. "It's okay. Eve said the child's giving it another go later."

"God." He groaned, shutting his eyes, pulling me harder against him. "I thought you smelt odd."

He did? I almost wanted to tell him off for not telling me this. Almost. But she'd said it wasn't supposed to happen now. I grasped him, holding onto him, Reece's body shaking. Reece was too traumatised right now anyway. "You died. Again." He groaned, clutching hard. "Like her. Wait, you saw ghosts again?" Reece pulled back, sudden. "Did you see her?"

"No." I glanced back to where we'd been sitting on the car. "I didn't. Just Eve and Lillian."

Reece squeezed his eyes shut, head flopping against my shoulder, his grief returning. I watched Hope sleep, blood running down her forehead, but she smelt and sounded okay. A bit burnt from the air bag but okay. I sat there, stunned, my body barely able to move, stomach screaming at me, neck and arms and ...everything, it just hurt. I ran my hands along Reece's body, trying to find where he hurt, and found the same pain, bruises, torn skin, a gash across his shoulder and neck. He inhaled sharply as my searching hands found torn skin or worse than usual bruises. But nothing seemed broken.

"I'm okay." He muttered. "Your ...you're loosing a baby."

"Lillian took it. It's already gone." It was just the body. I shut my eyes, squeezed them shut, wondering how long this had been there and I hadn't thought. I never thought. How many times had I put my body through some physical stress lately? I had to _think_ about things like this. Maybe Eve was right about the tubes tied thing.

Reece's hand grazed over my stomach, his breathing shallow, stroking the tender skin.

"Hope?"

"Hit her head, may have broken an ankle." He glanced back to her. "She crawled out on her own while I was trying to get you free. Dan... and Selene weren't there. When I woke. They weren't there."

"Did you see what Alan did?"

Reece blinked at me. "I saw him walk over."

I wasn't sure if it was because he'd been focused on me or what. I'd seen it though. Eve had wanted me to see it- how he'd gone from being Owl to Human by 'pulling off' a thing of feathers. It wasn't that simple, his body had contorted, but it couldn't have hurt as much as it did for us- he was walking _as_ his body shifted.

We lay there a while, both stunned, both breathing fast, my senses starting to let in other things. The smell of fuel all over the place. Blood. Reece's heartbeat, fast, panicked, and Hope's slow heart as she lay slumped against a tree, eyes shut, blood trickling down her forehead. The tickle of blood as it ran down my thighs. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't loosing a child. It was coming back.

It took a while for the shock to wear off. As it did I also became aware that we were sitting in the side of a deep dip beside a curve in the road, glass sparkling and covering the grass and dirt, bits of large and small pieces digging into our legs as we sat there, some of it cutting in. The car had fallen forward and it was like the front of it had just folded in on itself. If Hope had been any larger I doubted she'd have gotten her legs out of there. One of her heels was wedged into the twisted metal and it showed how lucky she was. A branch had gone through the windscreen and must have struck her head, but it had also blocked the car from completely hitting the ground- the car was somewhat leaning against the branch.

Reece was shaking. I stared into the car for signs of Daniella and Selene, now that I was getting my senses back. Nick was working right now. I had to as well.

"Reece, are you able to walk?"

He nodded, leaning back, staring down at me with that same pale shocked face.

"I'm not going to die. Sniff out Selene. We let her come with us. We're responsible for her." I pushed him back, careful of the glass, trying to stand. Reece helped me up, his gaze shooting to my stomach, his nostrils flaring as the movement made it more obvious to our heightened senses what my body was going through.

"You-"

"Selene, Reece. Go look." I pushed at him gently. He hesitated only a second longer before he nodded, leaning down to kiss my forehead, and went around to the door she'd been in. I stepped across the glass carefully, making my way to Hope, my legs trembling with the effort. It was just a few metres. It felt like a few miles.

I glanced back at Reece as he traced his way around the clearing, trying to smell over the stench of blood and fuel. "Oh. Her brother's a skin-walker."

Reece's head shot up. I saw it, the fear, the shock, and qas quick to add, "Not that kind. Not the one that's chasing us. The owl kind."

He mouthed the words several times before he got it, glancing up, an owl swooping overhead and meeting Reece's eye contact dead on. It nearly hit his head, the breeze from the winds ruffling his curls. "That's a fucking skin-walker? Is she one?"

"I don't know. Her brother is though." I watched her brother swoop across the clearing. It explained why the owl had been _protecting_ her. "Don't tell anyone, I think they're hiding it, but … don't be alarmed."

He shook his head and knelt back down, trying to sniff, ignoring the big owl as it circled over the clearing a few times and then back out over the forest. Ground and air search and rescue.

I stroked Hope's face, brushing the silky dark hair out of it, some of it matted with blood. Her eyes opened after a while.

"Sorry. I'm tired."

"Probably a concussion." I sounded much more confidant about this than I felt. She let me check her ankle, gently squeezing it the way Jeremy did with mine, a low hiss of pain as I felt along the bone very carefully. It wasn't broken. "It doesn't feel broken."

"Good. You know what it's like running after a toddler with one of those." She smiled weakly. "Karl's going to be pissed."

"Maybe." I checked her, scrapes and bruises, but she was more or less okay. "He's got the twins. The house had no guards."

"How did you..." Hope lifted her head and fixed me with a look. "You died, didn't you?" I nodded and she groaned softly. "No guards. That's strange. Even while the old woman was out of town, there were guards."

"She was dead when they got in." I said it softly. There was no doubt about that. The old woman's body had been dead for some time. "I'm not sure what that means."

"Means you're now the mother of two heirs to a huge sorcerer family, that's what it means." She sat up a bit straighter, picking glass and stuff out of her hair, cringing. "Maybe the guards are looking for you to start sucking up."

That had never occurred to me. My head shot up as she tried to shake the crumbled glass free, the shards tumbling all over the place in the dim moonlight. Heirs? Oh boy. I had enough problems with magic as it was, without suddenly having to be involved in their _world_. I'd talk to Elena later.

A shout came from a few hundred metres away, right up on the road, and I heard Reece's feet, pounding, running back for the clearing. The owl swooped across and landed in the dark forest as Reece came out with Selene.

She was covered in blood. It was everywhere, her arm broken, feet cut up, and head lolling around like Daniella's had been. For a horrible few seconds I thought she was dead but … I heard it, her heart beating hard, and Reece wouldn't have rushed if she'd died.

He collapsed beside us as Alan came running in, shoving something into his bag.

"She was on the road. I think she was trying to get help." Reece lowered her down carefully as I slid across.

"Check the car for first aid stuff. Carefully." I slid across, Alan on her other side, and he was pulling out a first aid kit. Like Jeremy. The man was apparently prepared.

He tossed me a bandage and we got to work, trying to keep her body flat, head turned, Alan splintering her arm as I found where the blood was weeping out from a gash on her leg. Probably where the metal had crushed into her. There were nasty bruises all around it.

"I told her to stay away from you." Alan muttered, annoyed, but not so much with us.

"We're-"

"Wolves." His eyes met mine. Challenging eyes, dark, sharp. Like the owl. "Don't deny it. She doesn't know."

"Does she know about you?" I asked as I pressed the cloth down hard on the deep gash, trying to slow it. Reece was with Hope again, holding a ice pack from the car on her head, her eyes struggling to stay open.

"No. Don't tell her." He gazed down at her with that exasperated look, that look a brother got when they both loved, were frustrated and _furious_ with their sister. "She's not ready to know yet. When I tell her, I have to tell her everything. I want her to be happy first. Look, just let that part alone. Okay?"

I nodded and he tried to fix her arm, his face pale, as I pressed hard on her leg. She'd lost a lot of blood and being out here, in the cold night, it was not going to help.

"We need to get her inside."

"Help's coming." He muttered. "I went for it when I saw the crash."

"Help?"

He nodded, didn't elaborate, but shrugged off his warm jacket and put it around her, trying to keep her warm.

"Did you see where Dani... where the other went?"

"Someone carried her away." Alan's jaw tightened as he heard Reece inhale sharply. Reece was already at the door, trying to find the smell. "You're not going to find the smell. They don't have a smell. They don't have _anything_."

"What do you mean?" Reece hissed. He tried to sniff, his heart racing, breathing fast again. "I found her. She was dragged..." And then he was gone. Running. His panic was back, panic for a body that was no longer her, but for Reece... it was impossible to let go, I got it, I knew if it was Nick's body...

"You better bring him back. If you can walk." Alan's eyes met mine and there was regret now. "He's not going to like what he finds."

"What he finds?"

"Skin-walker. Needed a new s-" He couldn't say it. I saw it, the disgust and repulsion, his grip tightening on the bandage. "Fucking evil. Our kind have a choice when we start to change. We can _choose. _This one chose humans and lost all humanity. Became what you see. If it'd chosen an animal, if it stayed in our laws, we wouldn't have... " He trailed off, maybe saying too much, but his eyes met mine again. "But _it's_ banished and it needs a new skin."

Hope got it seconds before I did, her sharp inhale, her body shifting up. I got it. Daniella. The skin-walker was after a skin. It was after a body. It was after Daniella's body. Maybe that was the whole fucking point. Maybe it'd hoped for mine. I didn't know. I didn't care.

I got up, running after Reece, ignoring the glass cutting my feet or the pain of branches, twigs, twisted metal, hearing him crashing through the bush after Daniella's scent.

He found her. Or what was left of her. The blood filled the air, so much blood when she'd already died, and Reece's vomit as he collapsed beside her. The green eyes were still there, staring up at the stars, but … the rest. It was just gone. Clothing shredded. It was just muscle.

Bile rose in my throat and I leaned against a tree, throwing up, coughing and trying to not see. This was wrong. Whatever the fuck it was, it was wrong, and …

We couldn't leave her here. We couldn't take her home.

Alan wasn't far behind. I heard him coming through the bush in a deliberate loud way, not wanting to startle us, but he coughed and I saw him. With a shovel. What the hell?

"I ...sorry. Here."

"You done this a lot?"

He scowled at me. He didn't say no though. "We've got a duty to destroy those ones. The ones that break the law."

"There's many?"

"Not anymore." Alan's voice chilled me, his eyes avoiding the body, his face still white. "She tried to protect my sister. I saw it. Saw her stare it in the eyes. I don't want her to just be left."

I wanted to be angry with him. Reece looked like he would have gladly been, except he'd collapsed next to a tree, probably in shock, his eyes fixed on the body lying out in the open like that on its side, the arms twisted strangely, head up, like they'd just dropped it. Daniella. They'd just dropped _Daniella_.

The sound of metal going into dirt startled me. Alan was already working. Reece just sat there. They'd need that sheet. The pillow. I didn't want her to … I wanted her to be protected.

I made my way back to the car slowly, Hope with Selene, glancing up.

"Bleeding's slowing." Hope said softly. "I think she's okay. Could do with a hospital for the arm though. Did you find..." She didn't continue the question. The image of it rose, rose with such force, that it felt like everything in the area could see straight into my head. It would never go. Hope's eyes shut, squeezing shut, but there was no pleasure in that. "You did."

"I'm getting the sheet." I lifted it up and the pillow. Headed back for the place she'd been left, Alan continuing to dig, Reece hadn't moved a muscle. He just stared. Blankly stared. It was one thing to loose your mate, it was another to ...have them insulted like this. I kept an ear on him. If I had to knock him out again I'd do it without hesitation. He growled when I stepped close, then shook his head, trying to clear it of the wolf.

"What are you doing?"

"Covering her." I said softly. Reece didn't get up, didn't speak again, just shut his eyes. He'd be no help. I had to do it, trying to ignore how it felt, how she felt, her body starting to go stiff. Wrapped her in the sheet until it was just a human shape again. A normal human shape. No one would know. The real Daniella was gone, long gone, off in the world my mother was in, Lillian, Eve. This wasn't her. It was a shadow of the real thing.

Alan swapped with me and I dug, ignoring the ache in my stomach, the cramps, knowing my body was trying to end the pregnancy at the same time. Trying to 'clear the slate'. It hurt. It didn't hurt as much as the pain in my chest, in my throat, the loss of someone I should have protected better. Vi and Pav were right. There'd only been the four of us. We should have been there for each other.

We buried her out there, in the darkness, deep in the pine forest at the base of an big old one, a pillow under her head. The smell of pine needles filled the air there, reminding me of Christmas. It was beautiful there, in a way, quiet. Peaceful. Reece just sat there the entire time, stared, his heart the only thing making noise. It was an unmarked grave, except for a large unusual shaped stone I insisted on putting in a gap inside the tree, near her head. Just ...to say she was here. Just to know where she was if we ever came back. It was getting light by now. Selene was awake when we got back, though she was in pain, and Alan gently lifted her up and we made our way up the embankment, my arm around Hope, Reece following. Alan had driven but he'd parked some distance back. They'd find the car.

We didn't go far. Just to a city. There was a motel near an airport there, Super 8, apparently named so because there was some kind of race track nearby. Alan got us a room and leaving to take Selene to a hospital- she told us she'd tell them she'd crashed- and find clothing for us. I was too numb to argue. Hope collapsed into the chair, Reece curling up, and I got into the shower as the cramps got worse. There, in some motel, I saw it. Larger blood clots, one almost the size of an orange, and I knew it was over. My body was giving up on the third pregnancy. I couldn't flush it, even if I knew it wasn't a person now, even if I knew that the child was coming back, I took it outside as the early morning light increased and buried the large blood clots nearby. Got some pads from the office, the woman there taking pity on me, and crawled back into bed beside Reece.

It was Hope who got in contact with Elena. Neither of us could speak now. Reece pulled me against his front, arms wrapping around me, his head buried in my hair as we lay there. Enough of the strong bullshit.

Alan came back with Selene, her arm plastered, leg stitched up and gave us food and clothing. We took turns showering and re-dressing, trying to get rid of the blood and the dirt and everything else, all of us looking beaten up, stunned, out of it. Elena told us to say put so we did.

Breakfast came and we ate quietly. Selene seemed to know what had happened. She didn't ask where Daniella was. Instead, she sat with Hope, the two of them talking softly outside. Alan was waiting with them. I wondered if Elena had asked him to wait. Maybe she had.

Reece and I sat inside with the bags of McDonalds that had been fetched for us, sitting on a bed together, with me pressed up against his chest, his arms wrapped around me. He still hadn't spoken a word but the close contact helped him. Werewolves were naturally physically affectionate and cuddly and … after the past twelve hours, it was suddenly not just a matter of being affectionate, it was something else. Comfort. Reassurance. He was okay. I was okay. We were here. Everytime someone came in, I felt it, felt his body tremble, and knew he wasn't going to be okay long. Reece needed pack.

It was after lunch when we got exactly that. Antonio pulled up outside. I didn't need to hear his voice to know it was him, didn't need to hear him get out, I just knew. Reece did too. A shudder went through him, a soft whine against my neck, we hadn't moved all day.

He came in and gently unwound Reece's arms, murmuring encouragement, Reece letting him.

"We're flying home." Antonio said softly. "Do you need a sedative?"

I didn't. But Reece nodded, his shoulders tensing as Hope came in, swallowing hard. He was struggling. Antonio got him a drink as Hope dropped off another small feast of burgers, backing off quickly. Karl was pulling up outside too. I breathed out, relieved, knowing that right now it was better if she, Selene and Alan didn't ...come with us. Not too close.

"Nick's already on a plane back. With your twins." Antonio gave Reece the food laced with the stuff, his dark eyes meeting mine. "They're safe. Healthy. A bit fat."

"Good." I muttered. "How long till we get home?"

"We'll be home by tonight. We've got some help. Cortez has a plane waiting for us." He reached out for me as Reece ate, quiet, the warmth and love in it breaking something in me. We stood there a long time, my head against his chest, while Reece ate almost everything Hope had brought in. If it helped him get onto a plane then I had no complaints.

"Rose is dead, isn't she?" I asked against his chest, feeling him nod, stubble grazing the side of my face. "I saw it."

"She died." It was the first thing Reece said, his voice low, arms coming around the two of us as he leaned against me. "Anne died again."

"Thought I told you to stop that." Antonio said against my ear. Only the merest trace of humour. "But yes. She passed away last night."

"Good." Reece growled softly.

After some time the sedative kicked in and we made our way for the car Antonio had hired, heading for the airport. Karl was already there with Selene, Alan and Hope, Hope getting checked by someone on the plane. It wasn't Jeremy. I wished it was. But seeing Pav was almost as good, her smile meeting ours, a sad smile that told me she knew more or less why Daniella wasn't here too.

"Sit and let me check. Vi went ahead with the twins." She checked Reece over, when Antonio got him into the plane, while she had Antonio check me over. Aside from looking like I'd been in a car accident- cut, and bruised and cut all over- I was more or less okay. He knew I was bleeding. I told him I had to tell her about that in private. It was silly to say, nothing was private with our sharp hearing and he'd hear anyway, but Antonio didn't press.

We sat back as the plane took off, Reece's hand clutching to mine, his heart racing even with the sedative. When it levelled off Antonio got up and headed for Alan, eyes fixed on him. Selene was asleep now, exhausted, Pav beside her as she double checked everything the hospital had done.

"You understand, this is serious." Antonio spoke quietly, sitting with the other man, no threat there but … an intensity, as he glanced back at us. "I understand you want to keep it hidden but..."

"We're under laws to keep quiet." Alan hissed softly. "Our survival depends on it."

"I'm sorry. Yours might depend on how much you talk." Antonio said it softly, even gently, but there was that undercurrent of a threat now. A warning. "I know you've helped. I don't want to pretend otherwise. That's why I'm making it clear. We're not going to hunt down your species."

"You saying I have no choice?" Alan said quietly. Antonio nodded. "I heard wolves were like this."

"We prefer the other way." Antonio glanced back at us. "But … given what happened. It's suddenly become a matter that's too big to be polite over."

"I suppose I understand. Wait till we get there. My sister doesn't know." Alan said quietly. Antonio nodded, stood back up and headed over to check Karl and Hope.

Finally Pav came over and I told her why I was bleeding. Her face paled as she checked me over, Reece's head swinging to me again, unfocused eyes trying to find mine. There was nothing particularly wrong, maybe bruised ribs, maybe a cracked one, which accounted for a lot of pain. The seat belt had more or less done what it was supposed to do.

I tried to read the paper. New York was now off limits to the rest of the country. I wondered how we'd managed to get a flight in, it had to be one hell of a difficulty, but apparently it was done. The measures to keep it contained were scary. If someone was suspected of being sick, they could now legally be shut in their house for good, only with doctors in hazard suits bringing food and water. Same went for whoever lived with that person or had contact with them. It was _encouraged_ to dob in neighbours for 'your own safety'. Elderly were the most likely to die from the disease, but it was affecting a lot of people, and it was deadly. It wasn't just a handful of humans. One out of three who contracted the disease died, so far, and those who'd gotten sick were _still_ being treated. Rations? Normal now.

Antonio sat down beside me and leaned against me from the side, an arm going across my shoulders, his comforting scent washing back over me.

"I hope Elena bought up big." I said softly.

"She did." He replied. "I'm sorry you lost it."

The child. He knew. Of course he knew. With his hearing, in a tiny airplane, of course he knew. I shut my eyes. "Eve said that it'd try again later."

"You saw her again?"

"She took me to see you guys breaking in." I replied softly. I wasn't sure if she'd broken rules or not with that. The afterlife was a whole other world I had no clue about. "I watched her take the child away again. Lillian did. She took it."

Antonio breathed in slowly, deep, his arm tightening. Then he leaned against me. It was too much for us. The entire pack. Antonio and Nick lost Lillian, now we'd lost Daniella, and a child I hadn't even known I was carrying around. Too much loss. I hoped Alan would talk. Clayton would not care in the slightest how helpful he'd been. He might not have known her well, Daniella, but she was pack. The child I'd lost was pack. He'd be grieving too.

"If it's coming back, we better think about where you're going to put it." He said softly. "Another one. Nick will be horrified."

"Eve suggested I get my tubes tied."

Antonio's lips twitched against my forehead and he said softly, "Not such a bad idea." Reece shifted over to sit on the floor, leaning against our legs, his eyes shut. Antonio reached down to place a hand on his shoulder. "We're nearly there."

"Yeah." Reece muttered. His eyes stayed on his hands, running across them, an arm looping around my leg. "Nearly there."

"What are we doing now?" I asked quietly. I was lost. I didn't know what to do.

"You two are going to my home. Eating. Resting. We're having a meet tomorrow. There's no obligation to go but-"

"We're going." Reece muttered. His head twisted up to meet mine. "Yeah?"

"Of course."

"-But we expected that." Antonio finished. His small smile returned, sad, tired. "I think we're going to go after it. Demetruis is dead. Your twins are safe. Elena's sharing the cure with everyone. Breathe for a few days."

But it wasn't over. I felt it. It felt like it was just starting. This thing, Daniella's body, the disease starting to destroy humans from the inside, and that I'd become the mother to two babies in an apparently important bloodline.. it felt like it wasn't over. How absurd. It wasn't like Aaron. All I had to do was hunt him down, kill the pack off and castrate him. Quick. Easy. Then back to life.

It wasn't that simple now. Nothing made sense still. Demetruis's death, his mother's death, that thing that had started to stalk us around, and the reappearance of the Skin-walkers. Daniella's death almost marked the start of a whole new battle. It made the wolf in me restless. Anxious. Upset. Nothing seemed okay. No quick werewolf-style justice. It was out of my experience, out of my instincts, and it frustrated me.

When Antonio offered me a sedative, I accepted it, and fell asleep against his side, the warmth and comfort of my pack the most important thing.

* * *

><p>I woke in bed. Nick lay beside me, waiting, eyes half open as his breathing came in and out slowly. Reece wasn't here. I reached out for him, feeling like I needed to comfort him, but he wasn't here.<p>

"Dad's with him." Nick said softly, leaning over to stroke my face. "He gets it."

He got it. Of course he did. Antonio and Reece. Loosing their mates. I leaned against Nick, pulling him against me, his scent crashing down over me. It was mixed with the scents of our children, the scents of all that I would give my life to protect, and I felt his own grief there. Beneath the surface. Felt it in the way his hand shook, running along my back, his lips kissed mine tenderly, the protective way he bent across me in the dim light of the lamp.

"How long have I been here?"

"A few hours." Nick gazed down at me, stroking my face, kissing it again, and again, and again. "I love you."

"I love you." I reached up for him, pulling him on top of me, holding him there. His weight was comforting. Crazy, maybe, but it was.

"We lost one." He said it quietly. Slid down, slowly, sliding my top up. The bruise of the seatbelt had become purple and red. A nasty mark. Remind us of what'd been there.

"They said the child would try again." I said quietly, watching him kiss my stomach, no trace of horror. However much we didn't want more kids, we had more than enough, it didn't change that if it happened... It was obvious we'd try. I would. Even if it was too much, even if five were too much, I'd still try. Maybe that was selfish. I didn't know. "We lost Daniella."

"I know." His gaze met mine, Nick sliding back up, kissing me gently. "I know. You tried. They were cowards."

They were. Using a knife. Using magic. If they'd tried against her without either of those things, without _one_ of those things, it wouldn't have gone that way. If she hadn't backed up so far. Why had she done that? Because we were supposed to hide? I inhaled slowly, pain running through my heart, Nick's kisses probably trying to comfort me.

I wrapped my arms around him, holding him, our hearts beating hard near each other. "You did good with the twins."

"It was easier than we thought." He murmured against my ear. "You want to come see them?"

I nodded and he slid backwards, helping me up, Nick's arms lifting me up. Maybe I should have protested, let my pride say 'No', but instead I just let him. He carried me through the dark quiet house, sounds of sleeping people here and there, and I opened the door he stopped in front of.

I was let down and walked in, quiet, Nick behind me. The triplets were asleep in their beds, faces at ease, without knowing about what had gone on around them. The girl's curly hair had been tied back and braided. Probably Pav. I smelt her in the room from earlier. Dominic's hair, slightly less curly, was all over his pillow. It was getting long too.

Nick led me to a crib in another corner. The twins lay side by side on their backs, fast asleep, healthy. Relaxed. Happy. Rose's hand was around the foot of a teddy that'd been attached to the side of the crib, a thumb in Reece's mouth, and I wondered how her thumb had ended up in his mouth. He didn't seem the least bit upset by this.

Arms wrapped around me, Nick brushing hair away from the back of my neck, kissing it as we watched them sleep.

"Michael. Mick." He said softly, against my neck, nuzzling it. "After Mick Dundee. Reece Michael and Nicky-Elle Rose."

"Nicky Elle?" I smiled somewhat. Poor girl. Nicky-Elle Rose. It kind of worked though. "After you and Elena."

"Course. My best girl. Besides you, of course." His teeth grazed the back of my neck, voice soft, and we moved out slowly. "I was ...thinking Daniella. But it might be ..."

"Too soon." I shut my eyes, squeezing them shut, Nick's hand squeezing mine. It was too soon. "It is. I like the names."

"Good. Come for something to eat so we can go back to sleep." Nick led me downstairs, guiding me through the dark, and we sat downstairs eating. It worked and we passed out downstairs on the couch together, TV on, Nick's arms tight around me.

The next two days were a daze. Reece and Antonio spent a lot of time together, outside, working in the grounds. It was how he was coping. Working in the grounds with Antonio, autumn getting close to the end now, the two of them grieving together, and he barely spoke a word to anyone besides Antonio. I worked with Elena, trying to figure out how to ration out what she'd gotten before the stores had to change how much they gave out, trying to figure out how much time we'd have before we got into trouble.

In the end we had to accept that if we really wanted to do this, survive with 'rations', we had to go back to Stonehaven. We'd come for Lillian's funeral and to be here for Antonio. It was clear though that we had to go back. Drive back, taking everything we could get our hands on, particularly with so many kids. The meet would take place here and then we'd leave. Antonio's business wasn't doing so well anyway, now that so many of his employees were sick, and he was sure that he could manage it from Stonehaven. Same went for Nick. Elena helped me with the babies and the toddlers, I needed help, Pav and Vi never far away. Nick as well. I'd need help and I'd see him hurry over, no words spoken, like he was watching me day or night. Maybe it helped him deal with Lillain's death. I wasn't sure. I tried to do the same for him, watch out for him, tried to take care of him. Neither of us did a very good job but... we tried.

As to where Selene went, or her brother, I didn't even think of it. Not till I realised I'd barely seen Clayton and asked Elena. Selene was with Karl and Hope, they were keeping her safe, and Clayton was with Alan. In the gatehouse. Alone. Elene must have seen my expression at that, adding hurriedly, that it was fine. Alan was talking freely. He was just nervous. And Clayton knew he'd saved my life. She wasn't going to risk loosing a potential new ally and supernatural species.

The day of the meet came and everyone came back. Selene was upstairs with Hope, apparently recruited to help Hope with research into an article and to watch the kids with her. Paige had come too. To my surprise, Matt was there, but Elena and Jeremy had talked and agreed... he could start to come. It was better he knew what was going on, than to be surprised all the time, as long as I agreed. I did. After how he'd dealt with the last fight, he deserved to be involved a little more.

Clayton and Alan were the last to arrive and come into the room, both looking tired, but there was no signs that Clayton had to use his techniques to get Alan to talk. They just looked tired.

"I don't know where to start." Alan admitted when everyone was sitting.

"Start from why your group started to follow our pack then." Clayton leaned back. "Tell them."

"We heard about the disease, the one that'd come through us, and ignored it. Heard that your pack was leading the treatments to keep people alive. Ignored it. Then we got sick. We'd been trying to keep out of sight and find a way to reverse the disease. If we got sick while in our animal shapes, we got stuck in them, and ...they're still stuck. So we looked into where it'd come from and ...we found out it started in your pack." Alan's eyes went over me. "We thought it might have been your pack, at first, except the free treatment made no sense. Then our elders agreed it may be an attack. We wanted to see if there was a cure. So many of us are stuck in animal form. It's dangerous. Some already have lost their minds and are not coming back from it. We came to Forestwatch to see the first woman who got sick, to see if she was cured. Then she-" His eyes were on me, "-was in this house being robbed, and there was a human skin-walker outside, and the house was on fire. No one wanted to see her die. We tried to put it out. Tried to keep her asleep. Tried to kill the abomination. We got the fire out but the rest failed. So we've been watching. Trying to protect you without drawing attention. It wasn't owls that kept it away from you." Alan's eyes met Jeremy's eyes, and Jeremy blinked slowly, understanding coming.

"That was your group?"

"I saw you. That wasn't a hallucination." I blinked, breathed out. So I did know his shoes. Holy crap.

"Nope. When we realised that you were being stalked by this thing, when we caught sight of it, we hung around. Watched. Took turns. I went home after a while when my sister came home from college." Alan added, quietly, "They're probably still keeping watch over those lands. Not just owls."

"It's not just owls?" Jeremy asked quietly. "I saw other things."

"Owls are our group's usual form. It could be anything. The animal would choose us when its' time for our first change. They lie down before us and die. You ever hear of Selkies?" A nod from me and Hope, everyone else looked blankly at him, and Alan raised his eyes. "Women and men who wore the skins of seals, became seals, then took them off and became humans again. We're the _same thing_. We're all around the world. My family come from Ireland on my father's side. There _was_ a group of purely Native American skin-walkers, who only bonded with cougars, but they died out a long time ago. We saw it happen to them and we decided it was time to fake our own demise. Till now." He frowned, rubbing his forehead. "They're going to be angry."

"We're apart of an Interracial council." Elena spoke, calm, leaning forward somewhat. "The world's changing. We're working to protect each other."

"Not working that well, is it?" Alan scowled. "Almost everyone in my species got sick."

"We have a cure for it. It's free. No commitments, no cash required, it's free for everyone." Elena replied. "Is Beth going to change?"

"One day. Maybe. Her mom was a different mom to mine. She might not. But she does see us. Humans usually can't see us." He shrugged, sighing. "If she does, it's not for a few years yet. I tried to get her to experience a human life. She's been fighting it every step."

"Maybe she ain't human." Reece muttered. I elbowed him, he shut up, sliding back a bit.

"Maybe she isn't. But if she was, I didn't want her to expect this, only to be disappointed." Alan sighed. "There. That it?"

"No. Tell them about the ones that use humans." Clayton's eyes were fixed on Alan. Reece tensed. "The one that's stolen our pack-sister."

Alan's face paled and he sighed. A long deep sigh. "It's like us. Except they rejected their animal. I don't know who it is. It happens sometimes. If you reject your shape, if you reject the change, you become like that. People do it on purpose because they can then …. take human shapes. They loose their own body. Become something else. And as long as there's a body to go into, a shape, they don't die. It's as close to immortal as we get. Technically it can make a person last hundreds of years, if they keep taking new young bodies, live out a life time in a new body and then swap before death. It's evil. _Wrong_. We kill them the second we hear about it."

"Except this one."

"It must be a new one." Alan sighed. "I can't offer you an alliance. It isn't my place. You don't get it. I've already said enough to warrant punishment."

"Worry more about this thing." Reece snapped. "Walking around. Trying to kill us."

"We know what it looks like. Our elders... think that.. fuck. I guess I'm already in deep shit now." Alan said quietly. "Our elders think that it may have gotten sick. Maybe it blamed your pack, like we did, maybe it's stuck. It might not take her shape. It killed the man we hold responsible for the spread of the disease. It can stop hearts while in that form. That's about it, to be honest, but ...it's enough. It also seems to have servants. Followers. They'd have to do the dirty work. The longer its stays in that form, the less it's able to touch the physical world, till one day it'll pass over. It must be getting desperate. It won't be long before that dark haired angel can take it away."

"You can see Eve?" Jamie. I hadn't even noticed her, I'd been so stunned, but there she was. Behind Jeremy.

"We can see ghosts sometimes. It helped us stay out of sight. We don't like to be noticed by people in this world or the next." Alan nodded.

"It won't take her shape?" Elena asked, careful, her attention on Alan and Reece at the same time.

"That's the theory. It might try. You have a cure and you've been giving it out freely. If it got some of the cure, then maybe..."

"We've only given it out to a handful of people so far." She sighed. "I wanted it to be freely given. They're making more. We ran out."

"Maybe we better hold off for a while." Clayton muttered.

No one spoke a long time. In other words- if it had been cured, it was Daniella's shape now. It looked like her. I wondered how much the likeness was shared. Would it smell like her? Would it speak like her? "Look, let me contact my elders. They'll want to talk with you. With the Alpha. It's a mess."

"Everyone, leave us alone." Elena nodded, everyone standing except Clayton. "Clayton's going to stay in the background."

"Understood." Alan nodded. "_Please_. Don't tell Beth. Give her a few more years before she has to worry about this." His soft plea was at us, at Reece, at myself, the people his sister had met. I nodded, Reece just scowled and left.

We filed out and left the three of them alone.

Reece stuck around now, stuck close to me, as we worked on packing the moving truck with the non-perishables. Nick stayed inside with Pav and the little ones, the bigger kids helping us when Antonio promised them payment for it.

"Can I come sleep with you two tonight?" He asked, voice low, when Antonio was gone. I glanced up. Reece smiled, a small sad smile. "Just with you two. No sex. I just want the contact."

"I think it's okay. I can't...do that right now anyway." I was still bleeding, still in shock, and he nodded a fraction, leaning close to kiss my forehead gently. "You okay?"

"No." He admitted. "But I'm not letting you get hurt. We're going back. We're going to chase that fucking thing out of your land. Can't face the people who murdered my parents if I can't face a stupid ghool in a white sheet, can I?" The look in Reece's face, this recklessness, this fury, it kind of frightened me. He suddenly looked like he wanted to take on the world. Wanted to take revenge on anything that hurt him or the people he loved. I saw it, his fists flex, tense, and he no longer was looking at me, though his eyes were on me. They were on something else. On memories, on ghosts, on things that filled his eyes with bloodlust that was not Reece. It was someone I didn't know.

"Yes, you _can_. Don't do anything stupid. I don't want to loose you." I snapped. Shoved him back, going inside for another box, ignoring his call to come back. Stupid pride. It was going to kill all of us.

Elena came out after a few hours and helped us finish packing. There'd be no sleeping here overnight, apparently, we'd be leaving tonight. She wanted to get back. Apparently the elders had taken over Forestwatch, trying to keep me out of it, and while this should have pissed me off... they'd protected Jeremy and the kids. Somehow I didn't care. Let them use it. There were worse problems at the moment. Problems we'd all be hit with soon enough.


	29. Pause

This will be continued in Haunted. :) ( Which is already up, so don't worry about a long wait.)

Thankyou to my readers for coming with my characters on this!


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